CLUES to Ballarat Base Hospital's past were uncovered when an almost 70-year-old time capsule was discovered at a demolition site.
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The time capsule was found by construction workers at a demolition site almost 68 years to the day from when it was buried.
A copy of The Courier newspaper, dated February 15, 1935, and a Ballarat Base Hospital annual report from 1934-35 were found in the time capsule.
Construction workers were demolishing the former Wilson building in Drummond St Nth when they found the objects wrapped in canvas and tied with string in the wall behind the building's foundation stone.
The annual report revealed that back then the Base Hospital ran on a budget of 14,000 pounds and had a staff of 64.
How times have changed.
These days Ballarat Health Services employs 2300 people and runs on a budget of $150 million.
Executive director of business development Michael Scarlett said it was not uncommon for time capsules to be found behind foundation stones.
Often when the hospital demolished buildings it found time capsules which gave clues to its history. The old newspaper and hospital annual report will be kept by the hospital and it will look into ways to display it, he said.
