J Ward volunteers are preparing to bury a time capsule which will be hidden for 25 years.
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Friends of J Ward secretary Pauline Roberts said they buried the first time capsule in 1994 and opened it last year on April 21.
"We had the capsule opening of 25 years last year. Inside were photos and newspaper clippings which will also go into the new capsule," she said.
"It's almost finalised ... it is going to be hidden for the next 25 years.
"We are also putting stuff relevant to last year into it. I am a little behind in getting everything into the new capsule to get reburied."
The time capsule will include coins, newspaper articles, souveniers, a list of all the volunteers, the president's letter and photos of the capsule opening last year.
The Friends of J Ward was established in 1993 and is a group of volunteers who work in the guiding, administration, gardening and maintenance of the museum.
Mrs Roberts said it was scheduled to be buried on Easter Sunday but due to the coronavirus pandemic it was postponed.
"Originally we would have had a ceremony and put the new one underground, but because it floods this one is just going to be hidden somewhere," she said.
"In 25 years, whoever is still running J Ward will know where it's hidden."
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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, J Ward had $8500 in bookings cancelled.
"We can't keep people far enough away from each other. At this stage, we are not quite sure when we will be able to open," she said.
"Once we get the go-ahead we will certainly be opened. We may have to have a restricted number of tours.
Mrs Roberts said the organisation relied on tourists throughout Victoria, including school groups.
"We get a lot of people from Bendigo, Mount Gambier, Portland. Although on school holidays it's mainly people from the Melbourne area because they are coming to the Grampians," she said.
"We have a lot of schools that visit, including four private schools in Melbourne.
"We have one school that has been coming for 23 years since we opened. They bring up all different groups to the Grampians and do a tour of the J Ward. We have lost them this year."
Mrs Roberts said the organisation was not receiving Jobkeeper during their closure.
"We haven't asked for support from either council or the government ... we are a volunteer organisation," she said.
"The money that comes through the front door goes towards the upkeep of J Ward."
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