“The Excitement of Discovery: Painter Uncovers 122-Year-Old Note in a Bottle within Tasmania’s Lighthouse Walls”

A painter in Tasmania has made a remarkable discovery while working on the historic Cape Bruny lighthouse. During routine maintenance, Brian Burford found a sealed glass bottle containing a message within a wall cavity of the lighthouse. The bottle had been hidden there for over 120 years. The message was not just a simple note, but an envelope containing detailed documentation of upgrades made to the lighthouse in 1903, including the addition of a staircase, floor, lantern room, and lens. The note was signed by JR Meech, a lighthouse inspector for the Hobart Marine Board, who oversaw the construction and maintenance of several notable lighthouses in Tasmania. The conservators at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery faced challenges while extracting the delicate aged paper from the bottle, which was sealed with a bitumen-coated cork. The letter is planned to be displayed for public viewing.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/02/painter-discovers-message-in-a-bottle-lighthouse-walls-tasmania