Time warped capsule unearthed
Want to take a trip down memory lane? Well, let’s think about 1996. It was almost 30 years ago, and the charts were dominated by the Spice Girls.
A wizard called Harry Potter cast a spell over us with the release of the first book about his adventures at Hogwarts, and John Howard began his 11-year term as Prime Minister after winning the Federal Election in March of that year.
Hard to believe, but Facebook hadn’t even been thought of yet.
Instead, we captured what was important to us via time capsules. One of which has lain sealed near the entry of the Sam Merrifield Library since 12 December 1996.
Excitement grew at Moonee Valley City Council during the recent excavation to retrieve its goodies but, unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas.
Mayor of Moonee Valley, Cr Rose Iser, revealed that on recovery, it was clear that the elements had managed to infiltrate the capsule.
“There was some initial disappointment. Some items had deteriorated beyond recognition, but other items were still legible – this included council reports and information from local schools,” Cr Iser said.
“We are thankful to previous generations who had the foresight to place them (as building markers or as dedication) for others to discover.
“It’s still fun to open the capsule and learn about the past; even if the outcome wasn’t quite as we hoped. Those who buried mementos have helped us think about what life was like 30 years ago – and what we might want to put in a time capsule today.”
Community members can learn how to preserve their photographic film at the Libraries Makerspace with the film scanner induction on 18 February. Find out more or book via the Library website.
Keen to know more about the City of Moonee Valley’s rich history? A great place to start your exploration is the Moonee Ponds Court House Museum, which is open every Sunday 2pm-5pm.
The museum offers property research, expert advice and books for sale. For more information, call 9370-4607 or email EHS@esshissoc.org.au .