Old books, newspapers and other memorabilia of the Morwell centenary celebrations were unearthed when the Morwell Centenary Rose Garden time capsule, originally buried on 1 November 1992, was officially opened, by Bruce Ellen General Manager at the Latrobe Valley Express.
In a serendipitous alignment, the rose garden was originally opened at another significant historical anniversary - the centenary of the township of Morwell. Twenty-five years later, when the flowers were in full bloom, the community celebrated its flourishing success with the unearthing of the time capsule.
Unfortunately, the contents did not fare too well underground. However, a local historian at Fed Uni, Professor Erik Eklund, identified the items and reproductions were made of most of the collection, providing a fascinating insight into the history of the garden and of the times.
President of the Rose Garden Committee, Del Matthews, said the hardworking and dedicated volunteers had worked for 25 years to build the reputation of the garden.
“It has transformed from an unloved reserve to an internationally recognised garden. It was only the second garden in Australia to have received the honour of being awarded Garden of Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies.
“The 25th anniversary is an exciting time to appreciate just what has been achieved over the years and how beautiful the garden is, and what joy it gives, and has given to so many, and to remember the many wonderful friends who have contributed to the establishment of this special place,” Ms Matthews concluded.