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Tag Archives: Australia

Maud Butler, Fearless Stowaway, Noted in Christmas 1915 Messages in Bottles

08 Thursday Dec 2022

Posted by Clint Buffington | Message in a Bottle Hunter in history, message in a bottle

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Australia, Christmas, Maud Butler, message in a bottle, New South Wales, Reginald Lock, SS Suveic, Ted Blakey, WWI

The Strange Tale of Three 1915 Messages in Bottles & Stowaway Maud Butler

On New Year’s Day, 1916, three messages in bottles washed ashore right beside each other near Portland Bay, Victoria, Australia. Three! And one man (Maurice J. Leddin) found this pile of treasure. All were written by Australian soldiers from New South Wales, en route to WWI. All were written on Christmas Day, 1915. A couple of them told a curious story about a young woman on board their ship–a stowaway. This young woman was Maud Butler, a country girl who tried to sneak into the Great War. Maud Butler became famous for her attempt to fight for Australia in WWI. But before any of that fame arrived, soldiers wrote about her in these soon-to-be-found messages in bottles.

As details emerged, Butler’s amazing story inspired many at the time (though she really did get in deep trouble for stowing away). Maud Butler fascinated me the moment I learned her story – and I only learned it thanks to the messages in bottles in this post. There’s much more to Maud Butler’s story than I can fit here, as you can read on the Australian War Memorial’s page about her. But I just want to share a bit here to show how messages in bottles have a truly unique ability to provide windows into history, and into other peoples’ lives.

Message in a Bottle Tells of “Girl On Board Dressed As A Soldier”

The Koroit Sentinel and Tower Hill Advocate printed a story on January 22nd, 1916, about the three messages in bottles found together on New Year’s Day of that year by a Maurice J. Leddin. The soldiers had dropped them overboard on Christmas Day of 1915.

Vintage news article about Ted Blakey, who wrote a message in a bottle mentioning the famous stowaway Maud Butler. Ted Blakey survived the war.

Vintage news article about Ted Blakey, who mentioned Maud Butler in his message in a bottle (though not by name).

The whole thing is crazy! Can you imagine finding three messages in bottles washed up beside each other? Madness! And this particular message in a bottle mentions Maud Butler, though not by name. She was trying to get to Gallipoli to fight alongside her brother.

These messages in bottles about Maud Butler join the ranks of several other famous and fascinating messages in bottles concerning Australia. There’s the incredible story of Thomas Hughes’ message in a bottle, found ages after he sent it–also en route to WWI–and returned to his elderly granddaughter. Then there’s the second oldest message in a bottle ever found, which, at almost 132 years of age, was discovered in Australia’s coastal sand dunes. There’s even an incredible tale of a message in a bottle making its way to Australia’s second prime minister, Alfred Deakin. When it comes to messages in bottles, Australia doesn’t mess around!

These messages also join the exclusive club of extremely interesting messages in bottles sent on Christmas Day, alongside the likes of Frank Hayostek’s WWII message in a bottle, which he sent on Christmas Day of 1945. Continue reading →

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Uplifting Message in a Bottle’s Author, Flynn, Has Been Found!

07 Wednesday Nov 2018

Posted by Clint Buffington | Message in a Bottle Hunter in message in a bottle

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Australia, author, found, message in a bottle

Uplifting Message in a Bottle’s Author Has Been Found

When Laura Barnard of New South Wales, Australia, found a message in a bottle at Entrance Beach in early November, she posted about it on Facebook in hopes of finding the uplifting message in a bottle’s author — a 5-year-old boy named Flynn. Within a day, her post had been shared more than 600 times. That number quickly grew to over a thousand shares. Australia’s 7 News did a story about Laura’s find (though it should be noted that the video in that story is, confusingly, about a totally different message in a bottle), and I joined in the hunt with my previous post. Well, as if to prove the point that messages in bottles bring people together, thousands of strangers helped to spread the word about Laura’s find–and now, Flynn has been found!

The uplifting message in a bottle's author, Flynn, has been found!

The uplifting message in a bottle’s author, Flynn, has been found!

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Uplifting Message in a Bottle Sparks Search for 5 Year Old Author

04 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by Clint Buffington | Message in a Bottle Hunter in message in a bottle

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Australia, Flynn Bettison, Laura Barnard, message in a bottle, Shelly Beach

Uplifting Message in a Bottle Found in Australia

If you or someone you love has ever battled cancer, you know well the power of uplifting moments happening in the midst of that struggle. Laura Barnard of Australia is in the midst of treatment to fight her breast cancer, and had just finished a few important stages of that when she stumbled upon a lovely, uplifting message in a bottle at Entrance Beach in New South Wales, Australia. She tells me she was “Just walking the dog, relaxing after another long week of radiation” when she found the uplifting message in a bottle. And then, the search for Flynn began! Laura hopes that anyone reading this will help spread the word to find him.

Uplifting Message in a Bottle on the Beach

Flynn Bettison’s uplifting message in a bottle lying on the beach just as Laura Barnard found it. Photo: Laura Barnard.

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English / Chinese Message in a Bottle Found in Australia: Help Find the Sender!

27 Monday Nov 2017

Posted by Clint Buffington | Message in a Bottle Hunter in message in a bottle

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Tags

Australia, beachcombing, message in a bottle

English / Chinese Message in a Bottle Found

John Morrissey was in the midst hiking Australia’s 250 kilometer Great South West Walk (that’s over 155 miles) when he discovered a bottle covered in barnacles and containing a small note on the southwestern shore near Portland, Victoria. Now, he’s asking for help locating the sender of this English and Chinese message in a bottle. Look at this thing!

Chinese Message in a Bottle - John Morrissey Finishing Hike Continue reading →

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Mysterious Message in a Bottle Found: Seeking Nigel Hanlon of Australia!

09 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by Clint Buffington | Message in a Bottle Hunter in Friendship, message in a bottle, Mystery Message, News

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Australia, Inspiration, message in a bottle, News

Mysterious Message Washes Ashore in Australia

Another fascinating and mysterious message in a bottle has been discovered on Australia’s west coast! The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports that Michael Thompson discovered a 35 year old message in a bottle on a remote beach in northwest Australia around Mundabullangana Station.

Look at this thing!

Mysterious message in a bottle - Nigel Hanlon's Message

35 year old message in a bottle recently discovered by Michael Thompson. Photo: Michelle Stanley / ABC.net

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Incredible Message In A Bottle from 1967 Found Inside Concrete Slab in Australia

08 Monday May 2017

Posted by Clint Buffington | Message in a Bottle Hunter in Friendship, history, Joke, message in a bottle

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Australia, Chad Parker, CSR Earthworks, Inspiration, message in a bottle, News, Queensland, Toowoomba

Incredible Message in a Bottle Recovered from Concrete Slab

When you hear message in a bottle, I bet you think ocean. I know I do. After all, the most famous message in a bottle stories revolve around the sea… But every know and then, a truly incredible message in a bottle turns up on dry land.

The Police Message in a Bottle Cover

A&M Records cover for The Police’s single, Message in a Bottle.

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