Excavation can be thirsty work and sometimes it unearths unexpected relics.
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That was exactly what happened when an eight ounce Charger soft drink bottle was recently uncovered in Eaglehawk.
JM Webster Bobcat and Tipper owner Justin Webster said the discovery was made after a pocket of old rubbish was found on a client’s property.
Closer inspections of the pocket revealed a plastic soft drink bottle made by Treet Packers Melb P/L which appeared to be modeled on a Chrysler Valiant Charger.
It was unclear exactly how old the bottle was. Mr Webster said a lot of people he had shared the pictures with online thought it could be from 1971 or 1972, though he felt it could have been made in the late 1960s.
Mr Webster said the bottle was a rare find.
“It’s unusual because it’s made of plastic. Usually those sorts of things deteriorate but this has quite a bit of its original paint on it,” he said.
“It’s certainly something I have never seen before.”
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It was common to find bottles and other relics when on jobs, Mr Webster said, especially in old mining country.
“We do find a few bits and pieces. Now councils are subdividing a lot of these old areas and houses are going up. So we are often working in areas that have never been excavated before,” he said.
Have you unearthed an incredible find on a property in, or around, Bendigo? We’d love to hear about it. Email tom.ocallaghan@fairfaxmedia.com.au