Time capsule installed at the new Footscray Hospital

A piece of history has been sealed at the new Footscray Hospital with the installation of a time capsule.

The capsule was placed in the hospital’s central green space on 7 October. It holds artefacts and memorabilia that capture the past and present of Footscray Hospital and Melbourne’s west. It will be opened in 2050 – 25 years from now.

Preserving history

Installed near the new hospital’s playground, the capsule is a reminder of the people and places that shaped the existing and new Footscray Hospital.

Western Health staff, Victoria University and community members all contributed to what went inside.

The final collection includes:

• photos and blueprints of the current Gordon Street hospital
• a Western Health volunteer badge
• a Victoria University Thrive program t-shirt
• a Western Bulldogs 100 years lanyard
• a 2025 coin
• a letter from Western Health CEO Russell Harrison.

A shared story

Ideas for the time capsule were first gathered in 2021 through an Engage Victoria survey and again in 2025 at the Yarraville Festival. Western Health staff also had input into the final items selected.

The collection links the old and new Footscray Hospitals and celebrates the contribution of the community. In 2050, it will give future generations of Western Health staff and the people of Melbourne’s west a snapshot of life today.