World's Oldest Message in a Bottle Discovered in Western Australia

The world’s oldest known message in a bottle is 131 years and 223 days old and was found half-buried at a West Australian beach after it was tossed overboard in the Indian Ocean, 950km from the Australian coast. Prior to this find, the oldest message in a bottle was 108 years old. 

The age of the bottle was authenticated by German Hydrographic Agency and the Western Australian Museum.  

The bottle would have floated in the sea for 6 – 12 months before finding its way onto the Australian shoreline. Once nestled in the sand, the contents of the bottle remained protected by a cork lodged in the 7mm bore of the bottle and by the thick glass walls. 

For more information visit the WA Museum's website.

View the Guinness World Record entry.