Uni unearths buried memories

WHEN you think of Federation University’s SMB campus in the late 1990s, what do you think about?

Well, now the university is making that picture clearer with the recent unearthing of a time capsule buried at the institution in 1997.

Head of Fed Uni’s Ballarat campuses Associate Professor Sam Henson said the period represents a turning point in the university’s history.

“This was just before the Wimmera Institute of TAFE, the School of Mines and Industries in Ballarat and the University of Ballarat came together in 1998,” he said.

“The capsule represents the last of that time when SMB was a standalone institution and that was the reason for it going in the ground.

“They’re mementos are of that time for people who were working here and just some of the everyday items they would have faced.”

With the assistance of conservator Kirsten McKay, the capsule was dug up in April to allow for construction of SMB’s new IBM building, to be built where the capsule was buried.

Community members were invited to see the contents last week with a video presentation depicting the opening of its PVC shell.

The over-50 items include medallions, a payslip, campus newsletters, the SMB flag, a shirt from the cycling team, and a CD containing about 160 photos.

They will be included as part of Fed University’s historical collection, which convenor Clare Gervasoni said the items have come up in pristine condition.

“There are things we would do differently now like not laminating, using PVC or holding the contents in a garbage bag,” she said.

“But funnily enough, it’s totally protected everything and it’s come out really well.

“Each item will be individually numbered, and they’ll be put up online on Victorian Collections for people to be able to look up all the contents from there.

“There’ll also be some showcases in the library which is where they’ll be displayed once they’re catalogued.”