Sydney Seaplanes demonstration flight from Rose Bay to Lake Burley Griffin to test for future route

The National Capital Authority gave the green light to the test flight to gauge the environmental impacts, and while lake advocates are eager to understand those risks, they say the route could help tourism soar.

Crowds gathered along the banks of Lake Burley Griffin to watch the moment the plane landed on the water for the first time, in a business venture hoping to bring three daily routes between Canberra and Sydney.

Sydney Seaplanes proposed the service departing Sydney Harbour's Rose Bay for Lake Burley Griffin to the National Capital Authority in January, with the hope of starting a regular route by late next year if the community response is positive.

The trip expected to cost about $300 one-way can take up to 15 people and will have passengers at their destination in just a bit more than an hour.

The demonstration flight departed from Bankstown airport due to bad weather in Sydney, but landed on schedule near Lotus Bay.

Sydney Seaplanes chief executive Aaron Shaw said shaving hours off commuters wait time at the airport would capture a new market.

He said business and government travel would be the primary customers with the potential to nab tourists during Canberra's biggest annual events.

"Where we see an opportunity is getting people off the road, last year nine million people were driving between Sydney and Canberra," Mr Shaw said.

He argues the pricier alternative will lure travellers eager for a quick trip.

"Flying is faster [than driving] in our plane ... not in a traditional plane," he said.

Noise monitors and heritage experts had been deployed as the plane landed and made its way to dock at Yarralumla Bay.

The environmental and community impacts of the landing will be discussed during a six-week consultation, before a report is taken to the Authority board.

"We'll have to do a range of investigations about the environmental impacts and talk to lake users," Authority chief executive Sally Barnes said.

Although the environmental impacts are yet to be determined the Lake Burley Griffin Guardians say the bold idea has promise.

Community advocacy coordinator Mike Lawson said the main concerns were around were the vessel would refuel and what impact in the short and long term it would have on the environment.

"On the face of it ... we don't have a fundamental problem with it. It could potentially be very good for tourism and activation of the lake," he said.

Ms Barnes said if the plan took off further ventures to bring vehicles onto the lake would be looked at on a case by case basis.

"We'll look at other things but we're very careful, methodical and measuring because ... we need the lake to be the heart of the city," she said.

"We need the heart to pump but we definitely don't want the heart to pass out from overuse."

The airline will be charged for using the lake as a landing zone and that income will be put back into the lake or national land, Ms Barnes said.

If the idea takes off, two flights could land at Lake Burley Griffin daily, one about 10am and another about 3.30pm.

The first flight of the day would take off at Canberra Airport, Mr Shaw said that was because fog on the lake during winter made it unsafe. Similarly, the last flight of the day will land at the airport because a seaplane can't land on water at night.

"We are looking to operate from a separate small terminal, so it will be more of a personalised service ..so the area we depart from is only for our passengers," Mr Shaw.

The Canberra route would be the first for the Sydney Seaplanes airline Alt Air, also angling for services to Newcastle and Palm Beach.

Mr Shaw said this would be the first small step towards an expanding service connecting Canberra with regional destinations on the south coast and beyond.

He wants the service to expand to incorporate Batemans Bay, Narooma and Lake Jindabyne and eventually promote travel transiting through the Sydney hub.