IT'S a mystery that's baffling past and present students and staff at Allora's P-10 State School.

They've found a time capsule.

It's just not the one they were looking for.

Head of Department (Curriculum) Mrs Robyn Westerman said a time capsule was supposedly buried for the 125th anniversary of the school in 1992.

"So in the lead up to this year's 150th birthday celebrations, we got an excavator in and dug up the spot where former janitor Lyle Johnson thought he had buried it," she said.

"Sure enough a time capsule was dug up and we all thought 'fantastic, we've found it', put it in my office and didn't think anything more of it.

"Then we were starting to get photos together for the 150th celebrations we came across some photos of another time capsule being buried, in 1981.

"And as soon we saw those pics we knew we'd dug up the wrong time capsule.

"We're happy to have dug it up as well but it's not the one we'd set out to find."

So, in the hunt to find the capsule buried in 1992, the ground in front of the primary building at Allora P-10 State School is littered with holes.

Mrs Westerman said there was a little confusion surrounding the missing time capsule.

"Some who were here at the time don't remember anything about it," she said.

"Others swear it was buried, but obviously no one knows exactly where.

"Before we dig any more holes, we want to be sure."

Mrs Westerman said recent press on the subject had meant a few calls from former students offering their recollections.

"Someone called in who thinks they have some photos somewhere of it being buried," she said.

"But if all else fails, we might need a scanning device.

"Safe to say though, all future time capsules will live in a nice glass cabinet where we can see them, and not in the ground."