Metal detectors and a 20-metre excavated trench have not been enough to find a time capsule buried at Yarloop Primary two decades ago, but the school isn't ready to give up just yet.
For the past six weeks, workers at the school have been trying to find the capsule, which was buried in 2000 in time for an unveiling ceremony later this year with former students.
Principal Mark Gledhil said he thought the capsule, which contained a bottle of red wine and photos from students as well as their dreams of what the future may hold, had been buried underneath a large rock on the school grounds.
"We moved the rock and dug a six-foot hole underneath … and we couldn't find anything," he said.
"We've probably dug about a 20-metre trench by 2 metres and still can't find this time capsule."
Lessons learned
Mr Gledhil said several former students had come forward to try to help.
"We've had metal detectors come out and have a look," he said.
One former student even donated his time and the use of his excavator.
"We did find a power cable while we were doing the digging," Mr Gledhil said.
"That of course got cut, which cut power to the school."
The principal said he had not ruled out the prospect that someone else had already dug up the capsule.
"They might have been after the red wine in there, maybe — I'm not sure," he said.
Mr Gledhil hoped the capsule would be found before the reunion, but a decision had been made to delay the ceremony until next year.
In the meantime, Mr Gledhil said the search would continue — but he intended to make it the last one.
The next time capsule, he said, certainly will not be going in the ground.
"It won't be going in a hole," Mr Gledhil said.
"It will be going in the library on a wall.
"We figure it's pretty hard to lose a library."
