From Shy Child to World's Loudest Man: Australian Town Crier Sets Guinness Record

Australian town crier Joseph McGrail-Bateup has entered the Guinness World Records books after producing a record breaking 122.4 decibel shout, becoming the holder of the world's loudest recorded male shout and surpassing a mark that had stood for more than three decades. The 58 year old Canberra resident achieved the feat by shouting the word "now", exceeding the previous 121.7 decibel record set in 1994 by Northern Ireland teacher Annalisa Flanagan , who shouted "quiet".

McGrail-Bateup, an air conditioner cleaner who serves as Canberra's honorary town crier under the ceremonial name Lord Joseph , recorded the shout on May 2 in a Canberra radio studio before witnesses and a professional acoustic engineer. Guinness formally confirmed the achievement last week. The sound level is comparable to a chainsaw , an ambulance siren at close range or a jet aircraft taking off .

Beyond his civic role, McGrail-Bateup is a well known figure in Australia’s ceremonial town crying community, where he performs at public festivals, school events and community gatherings, often using traditional proclamations such as “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez” to draw attention. He is also a member of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Australian Town Criers , a body dedicated to preserving the historic practice in modern ceremonial form, where he has built a reputation for both vocal power and performance discipline.

Additional details released by Guinness reveal that McGrail-Bateup was a shy child who developed his powerful voice through theatre training , learning to project without microphones. He and his daughter tested several words before settling on "now" as the most effective for reaching maximum volume. He also serves as town crier for nearby Queanbeyan and often projects his voice over sports car engines at public events, a skill that has made him a familiar presence in local civic demonstrations.

He won the guild's loudest cry competition in 2024 with a 98 decibel rendition of "Oyez, Oyez, Oyez". This is his second Guinness World Records title after briefly holding an archery speed record in 2019. Despite his latest achievement, McGrail-Bateup said he would welcome anyone who breaks his record, adding that "records are meant to be broken."