Barry Fowler with the 1973 time caspsule, and Frank Magee with the 2000 one.
Two Shepparton time capsules have a place in the history books, and two people have a place right alongside them.
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The two 25-year-old time capsules containing 500 letters, photographs and memorabilia donated by families and businesses in Shepparton were unearthed on Thursday, February 27.
The two time capsules were raised in February 2025.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Ron Caple and Frank Magee are the faces behind them, making the 1973 spaceship-shaped capsule and the 2000 black PVC capsule, respectively.
Mr Caple also had help from some of his welding students from North Technical School back in 1973. One of them was Barry Fowler.
Mr Fowler was 15 years old at the time of the capsule’s creation, and he said it looked a little bit different to what he remembered.
“I think every class that did welding was involved,” he said.
“He was teaching us about welding and the making of it.
“We did something with the dome, or something to do with the legs.”
Hoping he’d be in Shepparton for the unearthing, Mr Fowler contributed some items of his own, and was glad to see the tradition was continuing.
“It’s a really good feeling to know that it’s still going and I’m still putting stuff in it,” he said.
When it came time to make another capsule in 2000, Mr Magee said somebody had suggested Rob Rye Irrigation, where he worked as a foreman, for the task.
The second time capsule was poly-welded with high-density polyethylene.
Although it was a “last-minute job” and only took a few hours to build, Mr Magee said he felt the pressure of adding to an ongoing Shepparton tradition.
“The steel one was full and they needed another one,” he said.
“I remember thinking, ‘I hope this seals and they don’t open it in 25 years and there’s dirt in it’.”
The black PVC capsule from 2000 being raised.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Frank Magee signed the time capsule he made.
Photo by
Supplied
Mr Magee said he’d “sort of forgot” about the time capsule, but like many others was surprised by some items he’d put in there, such as photos, payslips and a letter for his wife when it was unearthed.
Thankfully, the tradition appears to show no signs of letting up.
Envelopes for contributions for a 2025 time capsule are on sale at several local businesses, including Everyday Supplies, Traffik Boutique, Lovell’s Newsagency and the Shepparton Heritage Centre.
They are priced at $10, $25, $50 and $100, with proceeds benefiting local charities.
Plans for the re-burial of the current capsules are set for late May, with the promise of another unearthing on January 26, 2050.
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