Matt Flinders ( born Sylvan Louis Bonett c. 1937 , Alexandria , Egypt ) is a former singer and TV presenter who rose to prominence in the late 1960s in Australia . He had top 5 hit singles with his cover versions of `` Picking Up Pebbles '' ( 1969 ) and `` Butterfly '' ( 1971 ) . He hosted his own variety shows , The Matt Flinders Show ( 1972 ) and Matt Flinders and Friends ( 1973 ) on ABC - TV .

Question: who sang picking up pebbles and throwing them into the sea
Answer: Matt Flinders