Artist discovers century-old bottled note at Australian coastal watchtower - Discovered: A 122-year-old letter inside a bottle in an Australian lighthouse by an artist.
A 122-year-old message in a bottle has been unearthed during renovation work on a lighthouse in Tasmania, Australia. The discovery was made in the lantern room of the lighthouse at Cape Bruny, a structure built in 1838 and last operational until 1996 when it was replaced by a solar-powered lighthouse nearby [1][2][3].
The bottle, sealed with a cork and adhesive, contained a letter from J.R. Meech, an engineer who was the inspector for lighthouses at the beginning of the 20th century for the Hobart Marine Board, an organization that managed the harbors in Tasmania [4][5][6]. The letter, dated January 29, 1903, describes the renovation work that Meech supervised on the lighthouse of Cape Bruny, including the installation of a new metal staircase and a new lantern room [1][2][3].
The message also includes a new sequence for the lighthouse to illuminate the night sky. The paper in the bottle was intricately folded, making it difficult to extract. The process of extracting the paper was exciting due to the mystery of the message's content and origin [7][8].
Annita Waghorn, who takes care of historical cultural heritage at the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, was involved in the examination process. The sources for this information are The Guardian and the Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service [1][2][3].
Experts faced concerns about potential damage to the paper due to its age. The message remains a mystery as to why Meech hid it in the lighthouse [9]. Tasmania, an island that belongs to Australia and is about 240 kilometers away from the mainland, offers a direct link to the island's maritime history through this discovery [10]. The message in the bottle serves as a historical record, preserving a moment from that era.
Intrigued by the discovery, Annita Waghorn, who oversees historical cultural heritage at Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, examined the message. The lighthouse's message, found in Tasmania, Australia, not only provides a link to the island's maritime history but also opens up possibilities for exploring the lifestyle of people during that era, especially regarding home-and-garden improvements and outdoor-living, considering the sender was an engineer overseeing lighthouse renovations. For instance, one may presume the sender may have shared advice on maintaining a lighthouse or even suggested improvements for outdoor living, akin to modern-day bottle post correspondents exchanging tips on home-and-garden projects.
