By Dominique Tassell
The Stanthorpe 150 committee meeting passed at July’s final council meeting shed new light on an old mystery.
The meeting minutes outline a discussion by the committee about the Historical Time Vault, or time capsule, located in Quart Pot Creek.
The time capsule was an initiative of Stanthorpe Community Service Club, and was created in 1988.
The time capsule was funded by the Stanthorpe Shire Council, who gave the club approximately $7000 at the time.
Argon gas was used to ensure the contents of the time capsule would be in good condition when it was opened.
The stainless steel capsule is two metres long, with eight shelves, and was encased in reinforced concrete before being enclose in a brick wall.
The capsule’s shelves were half filled in 1988 and the intention was for the time capsule to be opened in 25 years and filled to capacity then returned to the ground.
Reportedly, school children, families, council and other groups contributed items for the time capsule.
25 years passed in 2012, however no action was taken to open it.
After the Stanthorpe Community Service Club became defunct, it is understood custody of the time capsule was given to Stanthorpe Shire Council.
The amalgamation may be the cause behind the time capsule being forgotten.
Southern Downs Regional was approached in 2014 and 2017 about the time capsule.
In 2014, Council said they had been unable to find out any information about the time capsule.
In 2017, they confirmed that Stanthorpe Shire Council took over the responsibility for the capsule, but nothing could be found recorded about it.
Council stated at the time they would liaise with local organisation to identify the appropriate time to open it, further stating it would ideally be “a date that commemorates a significant milestone for the Stanthorpe community”.
Well, 150 years of Stanthorpe seems to be significant enough.
In the minutes accepted by Council in July, it was reported that Jim Barnes had spoken with former Stanthorpe Community Service Club member, David Wright.
David was reportedly happy with the proposal to raise the Tim Capsule at Lions Park, Quart Pot Creek in order to add more items as part of the S150 commemorations.
There is reportedly a manhole to access the time capsule, and after opening, it can be re-gassed.
S150 is proposing to open the capsule early in 2022 to see what is inside, then close it up and gather items over the course of 2022.
The new items will be added at the end of 2022, and then sealed again for an unspecified amount of time.
Hopefully, this time the capsule won’t be forgotten.
