An Australian entrepreneur staged an elaborate April Fools’ prank in 1978 which initially sent the local media into a frenzy. Early-morning commuters were astounded to see a massive iceberg floating across Sydney Harbor. Crowds gathered to watch the spectacle, both on and off the water, while radio listeners tuned in to hear the drama unfold.
Young electronics entrepreneur Dick Smith had been briefing media in the lead-up to his stunt, ostensibly a scheme to aid drought-stricken farmers by floating an iceberg from Antarctica. Using fire-retardant foam and shaving cream sprayed over a white sheet, Smith floated the drought-saving “iceberg” through Sydney Harbor to much fanfare on April Fools’ Day.
The hoax was revealed when rain “melted” the iceberg.[