A piece of East Gippsland history has been brought back into the spotlight, with the Bairnsdale Time Capsule officially reopened and resealed last weekend in a ceremony marking 50 years since its creation.
The event brought together community members, Apex Club representatives and civic leaders to reflect on decades of local history captured within the capsule, before it was prepared for another 25 years underground.
The original project began in 1975, when the Apex Club of Bairnsdale, with strong community support, set out to preserve a snapshot of life in the region for future generations. The capsule itself was constructed from a decommissioned World War II practice mine sourced from LEFCOL in Lakes Entrance and repurposed for the project.
The initiative was supported by local fundraising at the time, raising $151 (equivalent to around $1500 today), before the capsule was first sealed for 25 years.
It was reopened in 2001 as part of Australia Day and Bicentennial celebrations, when it was relocated from its original site at what was then the Geriatric Centre to its current home in the Main Street Gardens. At that time, the capsule was again resealed for a further 25 years, alongside a fundraising effort that supported Bairnsdale Regional Health Service, including the purchase of a trauma bed for the emergency department.
Saturday’s ceremony saw the capsule opened once more before being carefully resealed for another 25-year period, with funds raised this year directed towards the BRHS maternity ward. Around $500 has been collected to date.
The event was officially launched by the Apex Club alongside East Gippsland Shire mayor, Cr Jodie Ashworth, with East Gippsland Shire chief executive officer Fiona Weigall and Cr Bernie Farquhar also in attendance.
Former Apex members and life members, Leigh Venables OAM and John Beynon OAM, also played a key role in sharing the project’s history. Mr Beynon, 1972–73 Bairnsdale Apex president and life member, explained the origins of the idea, noting it was inspired by a similar initiative in the Hay Apex Club and adapted for Bairnsdale in the mid-1970s.
He also reflected on the ongoing community support that has underpinned the capsule across five decades.
A number of local families attended the ceremony, including those who contributed items in 1975, 2001 and again in 2026. A handful of envelopes from 2001 were collected by attendees, while most were resealed or added to ahead of the next 25-year cycle.
The capsule was cleaned and repainted ahead of the event with the support of Jansons Concrete and Haulage, while coordination and movement of the heavy structure was managed by the Venables family, long-time supporters of the project.
Organisers also acknowledged Charlotte and the team at Schoolworks Supplies, who assisted with the sale of envelopes leading up to the event.
Apex Club representatives said the milestone was a rare opportunity for the community to reflect on its shared history while contributing to a lasting legacy for future generations.
A full photo gallery from the event is available via the Apex Club of Bairnsdale’s Facebook page.
