On October 24, 2111, the residents of Ballarat will open a time capsule that will have been buried for 100 years.  Inside they’ll find an array of 2011 coins; newspapers, and messages of good will from local school children, residents and the Mayor of Ballarat, Cr Craig Fletcher.

Plans are well advanced for the interment on Monday 24^th of October 2011 of a time capsule to be buried under the Burke and Wills Fountain on the corner of Sturt and Lydiard Streets.

The time capsule will be buried in the same location as one that was recovered on May 4^th this year, having been placed there 148 years earlier, by the then Mayor of the day, Mayor Davey in 1863.  That capsule contained a wealth of gold rush era memorabilia, including gold, silver and copper coins which are now on display at the Gold Museum.

The 2011 Burke and Wills time capsule project was organised by City of Ballarat, The Sovereign Hill Museums Association, Heritage Victoria, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, The Royal Society of Victoria and the Ballarat Heritage Advisory Committee to mark the anniversary of the Burke and Wills expedition.

The burial of the 2011 time capsule on October 24 is part of Ballarat’s Burke and Wills Commemorative Celebrations, marking the 150^th anniversary of the explorers’ trek from Melbourne to the north coast of Australia.

Sovereign Hill Education has been co-ordinating education programs with four local primary schools - Dana Street, Lal Lal, St Alipius and St Patrick’s Parish - which will culminate with the internment of the new time capsule during History Week.  ABC Radio Ballarat is running a competition to select a local resident to write a message to future residents that will also be put into the time capsule.

The new capsule will contain:

• Letters to the Ballarat community of the future
• A movie and photos created by local schools
• Ballarat photographic panorama from top of Town hall taken during Foto Biennale
• Newspapers of the day
• Royal Mint coins marking Burke and Wills 150^th
• Shopping catalogues
• Examples of current denominations of Australian currency, such as coins
• Message from the Mayor of Ballarat Cr Craig Fletcher

The capsule will be interred under the Burke and Wills Fountain at 10.30 am on Monday 24 October with the Mayor and students from each of the four schools laying the capsule into place.  Earlier that morning (9.30 am) a ‘sealing-in’ ceremony will be held in the Council Chambers of the Town Hall where the capsule will be filled and sealed to protect its contents.

Ballarat Mayor, Cr Craig said he hoped that future generations who unearth the time capsule would feel the same thrill of excitement he had experienced when the 1863 capsule was uncovered.

“I can still vividly recall the thrill of holding a gold sovereign that had once been in the pocket of someone who may have been at the Eureka Rebellion, it was indescribable. I certainly hope that the person who is fortunate enough to open this capsule and to handle its contents sometime in the next Century, will feel the same link to the past that I did”, Cr Fletcher said.

“The crowd was dazzled by the treasures the capsule contained.  Its contents were priceless and we all clamoured to see or to hold the gold, silver and copper coins; it was amazing to get so close to those artefacts from Ballarat of 148 years ago.”

Fast Facts Burke and Wills

• In 1860, Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills set off from Melbourne with a team of 17 men on an expedition to reach the Gulf of Carpentaria
• The crew successfully reach the top of Australia – a distance of 3,250 kms
• Sadly, both Burke and Wills died on the journey home
• John King was the only man to travel the entire expedition, returning to Melbourne in 1861
• Six expeditions were sent out in search of Burke and Wills
• Despite its tragic result, the expedition completed the mapping of inland Australia and proved there was no inland sea
• In 1867, Ballarat built the Explorer’s Fountain in the city
• William Wills; his brother, Tom and their father Dr. William Wills all lived in Ballarat
• There are also monuments to Burke and Wills in Bendigo, Castlemaine, Beechworth, Fryerstown, and Royal Park, Melbourne
• In November 2009, the Royal Australian Mint issued $1 and 20c coins to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the expedition
• Last year, Australia Post issued a set of four stamps to mark 150 years since the expedition.