Click here to learn more about the Time Capsule and purchase cards online

 

National Trust Living Treasure Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales

“When I contemplate the future of our nation, Australia, I am filled with optimism. The reason for this attitude of hope derives from the qualities I continually perceive in our people, especially in young Australians, who represent the great cultural diversity of our nation. They are building on the strong foundations established by the efforts and wisdom of the early settlers, and later by the architects of federation, and committed Australians from every walk of life.

These factors have created the harmonious, peaceful and prosperous society of modern Australia, whose values have been defended by our servicemen and servicewomen across the generations.

Today I see ever increasing respect and appreciation for our indigenous people - the first Australians - and for their rich cultural heritage. Ever increasing numbers of indigenous Australians are achieving across diverse areas -  in the professions, the visual and performing arts. This will continue.

I see greater understanding and commitment of Australians to nurture and care for our precious and fragile environment, to work to secure a sustainable future. Australians are outward looking, optimistic, inclusive, and compassionate people who are determined to make a contribution toward a better world. Many are doing so already, especially in regions of considerable challenge and disadvantage.

May you, who open this time capsule, be the recipients of such a rich legacy."

 

 

National Trust Living Treasure Russell Crowe, Academy Award winning actor, musician

“Dear Charlie and Tennyson,

When this capsule opens you will both be fully grown men and God willing your Mother and I will still be around. My hope for your future is that you find the things and the people and the love that bring you joy in life, and above anything that your hearts are happy . You have no idea how much our lives have been blessed by you, I aim to be in every way the Father that you need,whatever comes along I will always love you with my whole being and my soul. I thank God for you both every day and show my gratitude to the universe in every way I can.

My fervent hope for this country is that we mature enough to have our own Bill of Human Rights and a constitution that protects the rights of the individual as we understand those rights should be. Rights that Australians don't currently have.

I hope that Australia manages to keep its unique humour and its reputation for fair play and I hope the world resolves its political conflicts so that we all can focus on loving and protecting our planet.

Boys, I know I will have brought you up to love your Mother above all and I just want to remind you to look to her care.

Love,

Dad.”

 

National Trust Living Treasure Steve Waugh, former Australian cricket captain and philanthropist

“I hope we always retain that ‘roll the sleeves up’ attitude that allows us to over achieve in all facets if life.

I love the fact that we support and encourage the underdog and we look after our mates but I wish we would equally celebrate the people who fulfill their dreams through hard work and passion.

I want our kids to remember that running around the backyard is just as important as being mesmerised by the internet, and to be proud to wear their grandparents medals when they march on Anzac Day.

We all need to look after the environment and those less fortunate in life and always respect the law and those who enforce it.

We must always remember that this is the lucky country, free from hostile neighbours, free to speak our minds, and free in our choice of religion.

Let’s always respect what we have”.

Steve Waugh

 

National Trust Living Treasure Ian Kiernan, environmentalist and Founder of Clean Up Australia

With the dawning realization that our wonderful planet Earth is itsown living entitiy and that as its senior species we have not properly understood the beauty of its creation, evolution and development nor our impact upon it.

It is only three 79 year life spans since James Cook sailed into Botany Bay. Written history records the immediate changes that our Aboriginal people observed by the actions of the crew commanded by Cook, La Perouse and Phillips in what was known as Stingray Bay.

Imagine instead if in 1770 the opportunity was taken to start to learn from the aboriginal people. How they saw the land in its entirety, how they did not believe in owning this land rather that they beloged to it along with every other living thing that made up what is now known as bio diverstiy.

My wish is that 237 later every Australian pledges to change his or her behaviour to begin to better understand the miracle that surrounds us all and to reduce out impact on this scared place that we call home.

Further that we strive to better understand, protect and cherish a heritage that stretches from the dream time, Uluru, to Sydney Harbour and beyond. Surely these are the treasures of our history.

 

National Trust Living Treasure Professor Fiona Stanley, Executive Director, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, Director, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research

To the children of 2032

"I hope that you are learning much from the lessons of the previous generation about the importance of caring about others, not just ourselves. By giving priority to the wants of the individual rather than the needs of the whole community, we have gone down a pathway that's led to global warming, growing economic disparity, the unlimited plundering of natural resources and rising rates of crime. When we genuinely care about what happens to all the children of today, we also create a better world for  tomorrow's children."

 

 

National Trust Living Treasure The Right Honorable Malcom Fraser AC CH, former Prime Minister of Australia

"As I write this in 2007, in 25 years I would like to see a world where environmental issues are being tackled  effectively and forthrightly, where debate about climate change no longer revolves around its seriousness but around the adequacy of measures to undo the damage done by human development. I would also like to see a world in control of its own destiny, with a new spirit of co-operation amongst nations, where a determination to eradicate poverty and to give everyone in the world a fair go, has made considerable inroads on endemic and human hardship. Such a world would be a safer world with less animosity, where the idea of a fair go applies to all people."

 

 

Alan Jones AO, Broadcaster

"I hope that in 2032 Australia has, as a nation, opened its collective mind to different ways to sustain our population in a difficult climate.

Perhaps we will have the infrastructure to pipe water from where it is plentiful in Northern Australia to where it is scarce.

Perhaps we will recycle the water we use, rather than, as we currently do in the cities, pump it as sewage out into the ocean.

I hope that in 2032 we won't be flushing the toilet with the same water with which we make our tea.

Perhaps we will have opened our minds to breakthrough, clean solar electricity  - such as that proposed by Dr David Mills - rather than looking to short term energy solutions.

And perhaps we will have found new, cleaner ways to fuel our cars. Is it a forlorn hope that we'll end our dependence on Middle Eastern oil, the revenue from which in 2007 is being used to fund terrorism which kills our own people?

It is also my hope that we will prize the value of education like no other nation. I hope that by 2032 we'll be able to look back on 2007 and see major financial and infrastructure resources being poured into secondary and tertiary education. If we want the best teachers, the best curricula and the best outcomes, we need money.

And above all, I wonder will we have realised the sentiments of Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 when he wrote about being an American, sentiments I hope by 2032 are richly applicable to Australia. Where I include in the quotation "Australian", Roosevelt said "American", but it would be my hope that this would be the unanimous view of Australians in 2032.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an Australian and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an Australian... There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an Australian, but something else also, isn't an Australian at all. We have room for but one flag, the Australian flag... We have room for one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the Australian people"."

 

 

National Trust Living Treasure Natalie Mary Paton, Founder - Australian Breastfeeding Association

My dear Grandchildren - Danny, Ella, Mayling & ?

It is my hope you will not only love, nurture & care for your families, but also for the wider community. In 2007 with its serious concerns regarding inequality, conflict, environmental degradation & poverty, there are Australians endeavouring to rectify these just as previous generations endeavoured to rectify theirs. Every individual can make a difference, so my hope is that you, too, will do just that for the Australian community & live a harmonious & fulfilling life.

Love Granny