A piece of Roseworthy Campus history will be brought back to the surface this Saturday 17 October when a 50-year-old time capsule, buried on Graduation Day in 1976, is officially unsealed at Adelaide University’s northern campus.
The capsule was buried near the Roseworthy College Chapel on 23 February 1976 by Sir Allan Callaghan, who served as Principal of Roseworthy Agricultural College from 1932 to 1949.
Fifty years later – and now part of Adelaide University – staff, students, alumni and community members will gather to discover how those connected with Roseworthy in 1976 imagined the future.
Among the items known to be inside include a bottle of R.A.C. 1974 Vintage Port, a sample of superphosphate, proof sets of 1975 Australian coins, a fan belt, aerial photographs of the College, a soil sample, and two vials of the wheat pathogen Septoria tritici, included so its viability could be tested half a century later.
More than 50 items were placed in the capsule to capture life at Roseworthy and the surrounding region in 1976.
The capsule was created during a period of significant change for the College. In 1976, Roseworthy was expanding its student numbers, introducing new programs and embracing new technologies while continuing its longstanding contribution to agricultural education, research and industry development.
The event will also celebrate Roseworthy's remarkable legacy. Founded in 1884 as Australia's first agricultural college, Roseworthy has played a pivotal role in training generations of agricultural leaders, researchers, consultants and producers who have shaped primary industries across South Australia and Australia.
In 1991 it became part of the University of Adelaide and in January 2026 – as a result of the merger with the University of South Australia – it became a campus of Adelaide University, renowned for its internationally recognised teaching and research in animal and veterinary sciences.
The official retrieval ceremony will be held at 11am this Saturday next to the Roseworthy College Soldiers Memorial Chapel.
The capsule will be retrieved by Stephen Callaghan, grandson of Sir Allan Callaghan and a former Roseworthy student, alongside Professor Jessica Gallagher, Adelaide University Deputy Vice Chancellor International and External Engagement.
A new 2026-2076 time capsule will then jointly be installed by Professor Rob Woodgate, Dean of the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, and Bill Close, who graduated with a Roseworthy Diploma in Agriculture in 1976 and is now Mayor of the Light Regional Council.