1979
JANUARY 1979 BOONAH, QLD (TRACE)
QA 1979-010
A multitude of grass rings have been discovered in a paddock at Boonah, (BNE). Agricultural experts have been approached, and the possibility of 'fairy rings' has been ruled out. Samples have been taken and sent to Sydney for detailed analysis. There was slight UFO activity in the area around the time of formation, (December 78), and identical rings have been found near Ballina, NSW, at the same time.
REFER TO SKETCH
01.01.79 SYDNEY (BEXLEY), NSW 1800-1900hrs
NA 1979-044
At sometime between six and seven pm, a thirty-three year old housewife and her husband observed a small silver object high in the sky moving from north to south. Elevation seventy degrees and appeared to be ’star-sized’. Duration of sighting was approximately four minutes, when it disappeared from view.
07.01.79 SYDNEY (RANDWICK), NSW 1845hrs
NA 1979-031
At 8.45pm, a twenty year old man and his twenty—one year old fiancee, were walking home to their house, when the lady, who had been looking up at the clouds, noticed a roundish object, with a brilliant silver shine moving across the sky at an extremely fast speed towards the SW. She pointed the object out to her fiancee and they both observed it for thirty seconds, until it disappeared behind a block of home units on the corner of the street. By the time they reached the corner, a few seconds later, the object had totally disappeared.
09.01.79 HOBART (SOUTH HOBART), TAS 2145hrs
TA 1979-014
A family of four were sitting outside on a warm evening when they observed a nocturnal light cross the sky. It was described as a silver—white light at fourty-five degrees elevation heading to the SE.
ca10.01.79 O'BRIENS CREEK nr MT SURPRISE, QLD 0120hrs (CE1)
QB 1979-014
During the early part of January, Mr Fred Davies (ex Royal Navy) was camped in the Topax fields at O'Briens Creek approximately twenty-six miles west of Mt Surprise. The sighting occurred on one of the few nights it did not rain in the area (probably the 10th of January).
Mr Davies had been asleep in his caravan under an open window. After awaking and sitting up in his bed at 1.20am, Mr Davies saw a small light approaching outside from the George-Town direction. At first he construed this as probably some "tourists" in the area, but then realized that he was completely cut off by floods.
Mr Davies said he lit a cigarette and decided to go outside as he had lost sight of the light. Stepping outside he walked around his jeep where he "almost had a heart attack". At about 300 feet altitude and 300 to 400 yards distant was a huge, round, yellow-orange light. Mr Davies said he stood watching this object for a considerable time in which he smoked several cigarettes. He noted that no sound or beams of light eminated from it. The object hovered stationary and during the entire sighting Mr Davies three pet dogs just lay nearby wide awake without moving. He thought this was strange as they are usually always at his heels. At one point Mr D thought of using his gun but decided this could prove a mistake. he said the object finally began moving and assumed a "saucer shape with a glowing orange dome on a thin, black base" which showed against the night sky. It moved away to the north-west disappearing behind some hills. Mr Davies suggested the reason the "object" approach may have been because he had a "hurricane lamp" burning outside his van. It may have been the only light for 100 square miles. He estimated its size as moon size to approximately a 20 cent piece at arms length. Duration of sighting: One hour and fifteen minutes.
REFER TO SKETCH
14.01.79 SMITHFIELD, QLD 0015hrs (NL)
QB 1979-009
The sighting occurred as the witnesses, whom we will call Mr & Mrs K, were on their way home to Kuranda (approximately twenty kilometres north-west of Cairns) at 12.15am on a Sunday morning. The route they were travelling passes through the sugar cane farms along the Cook Highway, then up a winding road on the Kuranda Range.
As they went passed the Yorkeys Knob turn off, Mrs K called attention to a "large, white, spherical light" which appeared to be stationary to their right (north) about 200 metres distant and 100 metres above the sugar fields. The witnesses passed this slowly looking back at the object before driving on. Then, after turning right at the Lake Placid intersection moments later, they saw the "same light" was now ahead (and slightly right) but an orange-red in colour. Once again because of the motion of the car the object was lost from sight behind some trees. Driving quite slow (as Mr K usually does at night) up the winding range road it was about fourteen minutes before they reached the second lookout. Now they saw the same object now white in colour and further away, ahead and directly out from the lookout. Another car was parked at the lookout (apparently they could also see the light) so Mr K drove on passed as the lookout is on a blind corner. The object was lost from sight as they drove on up the range.
The witnesses reported no effects on themselves or their car during or after the event. Object's estimated size: approximately ten metres.
15.01.79 NEW NORFOLK, TAS 0400hrs
TA 1979-016
A woman was up at 4.15am to get ready for work. She heard an unusual noise coming, it seemed, from overhead. Looking out the curtains, she saw a beam of whitish light shining onto the ground in her back garden. It seemed to be 0.5 to 0.75 metres across, and the noise sounded like a large electric fan in a confined space. It seemed to diminish in volume for a few seconds, then growing loud again. Then, in an instant, the sound ceased. Looking through another window, she could see nothing. Duration was five to eight minutes. No connection can be established but the witness says it took fifteen minutes for the kettle to boil instead of the usual four to five minutes. Later it was noticed the stove clock was, approximately ten minutes slow. No traces were found in the garden.
16.01.79 BRAMSTON BEACH, QLD 2215hrs (NL)
QB 1979-008
A 26 year-old woman was driving home from work when she noticed what see took to be the moon behind some trees to her left. She then realized that the moon was actually high in the sky to her right and three-quarters full - thus this other object could not be the moon. The object was moon-sized, perfectly round and golden in colour. Shortly thereafter (the object being stationary) the car's headlights began blinking on and off, then went off completely. It was not until the object was quite some distance away that the lights came on again.
INVESTIGATION: After the sighting, the headlights did not have their normal strength. A few days after the incident an electrician checked the electricial system finding no apparent cause. During the following weeks the lights dimmed even more and a second check of the system revealed a loose earth wire, thought to be causing the effects on the lights. The only effect noted on the car was the failure of the headlights, definitely more than coincidence that the lights should fail for the first time just as an unknown object is seen nearby. Although, perhaps the latter effects were caused by the loose earth wire.
21.01.79 BELINGRA STATION, QLD 1930hrs (NL)
QA 1979-017
Vikky Wilson claims that the appearance of a UFO at Belingra Station coincided with a temporary improvement of television reception. It was raining and the object appeared to be at tree top level about half a mile away. No shape was visible, but it appeared to change colours in a sequence, from green, to red, to a silvery-blue, then to orange. One hour later the reception returns to normal with the disappearance of the light.
24.01.79 OBERON, NSW 0100hrs
NA 1979-049
A young man was just getting out of bed in the early hours to quieten some dogs who were barking when he observed an intensely bright light source hovering above a nearby hill. The light was seen to be coming from a spherical object and it was emitting a shaft of blue/white light which was ‘scanning’ the ground. It suddenly ‘switched off’ and reappeared further down the hill. This continued three times before the object finally ‘switched off’ and was no longer seen.
The next day the witness investigated the area but found nothing. His motorcycle however suffered strange mechanical problems at the time but no connection was drawn to the sighted object.
04.02.79 LAWITTA, TAS 2150hrs
TA 1979-028
An eighteen year old man had been to Hamilton in the Derwent Valley which he left at 9.30pm on a fine clear evening for the return trip to Hobart, a distance of seventy-one kilometers. The next thing that he can recall is waking up in the Royal Hobart Hospital with a nurse shining a light in his eyes.
It was then that he recalls some detail of an event that occurred at Lawitta about fourty-two kilometers from Hobart. He recalls that first his radio died out, he passed the station buttons, but the radio remained dead. Only seconds later, an intense white light seemed to envelope the car and he could not see beyond the end of the bonnet. The car lights and motor all failed in the same instant. Beyond this things are only vague. He thinks he tried to restart the car when he realised the engine had stopped. He was stopped in Hobart city by Police for driving without lights. He did not know where he was going, who he was or where he lived. The police found his address on personal papers and took him home. The father and son at his house took him to hospital, where he was in a dazed condition. The witness had a pulse rate of 100 and was in a state of shock, when a nurse shone a light in his eyes and he backed away as if scared and seemed to recover his memory, although still not able to recall all of the event at Lawitta.
The car had a flat battery and the oil was very low. This puzzled the witness as the car had been checked three to four days prior to this, with no driving until that night. The cut out switch in the alternator needed replacing, also some of the wiring, especially to the headlights. It was bubbled as if overheating. The witness did not wish to take the case any further and is not interested in any hypnotherapy to try and recall his memory. He also has no interest in the UFO phenomena.
NOTE: The main point in the witness’s favour is that TUFOIC only heard about this case on the grapevine, and the witness was reluctant at first to give any information.
09.02.79 LIVERPOOL CREEK nr COWLEY, QLD 2100hrs (CE1)
QB 1979-013
The night in question was clear, with slight cloud. The reporter Mr Peter Hathaway was driving home alone to Mission Beach after visiting his wife in the Innisfail Hospital. Driving his Ford Stationwagon Mr Hathaway had travelled south from Innisfail along the Bruce Highway. Rounding a corner about one kilometer north of the Liverpool Creek Bridge past Cowley his attention was drawn to a "little white light" which appeared to be sitting on the edge of the bitumen to the left of the road ahead.
As he approached within 100 feet (approximately 30mts) of the "light" Mr Hathaway began to notice a dark beehive shaped object behind it, at this point the light began to "rise" vertically off the bitumen surface. When he was an estimated 30 feet from the object, and the "light" had risen approximately three feet, Mr Hathaway was momentarily blinded by a "flash of light" which apparently eminated from the small light.
The witness blinked a couple of times and regained his eye sight realizing that his car headlights, dashlights and engine had ceased to function. Mr Hathaway then put the car into neutral and coasted to a stop in a truck pull over area near the Liverpool Creek Bridge. After about thirty seconds the car headlights and dashlights came on of their own accord. Mr Hathaway then attempted to start the engine which responded immediately, the car seemed to be working perfectly so he drove on slowly to Mission Beach.
REFER TO SKETCH
INVESTIGATION: Mr Hathaway did not see what happened to the "light" or the object after the "flash" and after arriving home he checked the cars battery and found no faults. The object behind the light was dark in colour, about four feet in height by three feet at the base and had a "ragged outline". The light was approximately twenty-four millimetres in diameter and described as "dull". Mr Hathaway thought the flash was five times brighter than a camera flashcube flash. The witness described being "very unsettled" after he had pulled offf the road. His eyes suffered no after effects following the sighting.
Because of the circumstances in which the car was affected a Magnetic-Signature Test was carried out upon the witness's vehicle. This involves taking readings of the magnetic signature on various points over the car effected and a "control vehicle" of the same make. The results showing if a strong electro-magnetic field was present. Points showing POSITIVE changes were:- top front corner of left door; centre of bonnet and top left corner of the roof.
18th FEB; HOBART (BET. GRANTON & BRIDGEWATER), TAS 1015hrs
Initially two white spherical objects were seen, one behind the other, fairly high in the northern sky. They seemed to be stationary at first and reflecting the sun light. This effect was pronounced on the side facing the sun. As the witnesses swung onto the causeway across the Derwent to Bridgewater the two objects started to move to the north east. The witnesses were surprised to see one move ahead and just disappear. The car window was wound down to eliminate any chance of reflection. Then the first object reappeared and they both now looked a brown colour and had changed shape to more disc-like in appearance. The puzzling thing was that the objects were still in clear sunlit sky. The two objects then reverted to their original Shape and colour and came close together again. The objects were lost to view as the witnesses passed through Bridgewater but they were able to locate them again after leaving the town. The objects were then picking up speed and travelling away to the north. They were out of sight very shortly over hills in the distance. The sighting could not be accounted for by aircraft, in fact later on the witnesses saw a light aircraft which at no time bore any resemblance to the metallic appearing objects. Mention in the press failed to reveal any other witnesses to the sighting but it was only due to the reflection from the UFOs that the two unexplained were noticed in the first place.
21.02.79 bet. FERNVALE & IPSWICH, QLD 2115hrs (CE1)
QA 1979-010
John Beare (19) and Maureen Berghammer (15) were driving from Lowood to Ipswich. Just after passing through Fernvale, the road goes up a hill and swings to the right. While going up this hill, they could see a bright white light high in the sky directly in front of them. As they were watching it, it flashed, and everything for about half a mile around was lit up, similar to the effect of lightning. However, the sky was perfectly clear, and all the stars could be seen.
As they came down the hill (turning to the right of the object) the object approached the car, eventually to sit directly above the car for a few seconds before it drifted to the right hand side. The object then dropped to tree top level while pacing the car. The object then began to zig-zag across the entire width of the road while only 100 feet ahead of the car. After this manoeuvre, it returned to the right hand side and remained there to the Toowoomba turn-off, where the object disappeared. It was then seen again after passing the Meatworks at Riverview, where it again disappeared. Duration: thirty minutes. No noise was heard.
REFER TO SKETCH
04.03.79 PIPERS RIVER, TAS 2200hrs
TA 1979-068
Ten people were sitting around a campfire when they noticed a bright orange light above sea-level which was hovering for approximately ten minutes. While in this position, there was a bright red reflection coming off the water underneath the object. The object suddenly manouvered closer to the coast, tilting at an angle and disappearing into the ocean. When first seen, the object was cigar shaped, then changing to a saucer— shape as it angled to dive into the sea.
31.03.79 MAATSUYKER ISLAND, TAS 2140hrs
TA1979-051
Two people were outside to take weather details, when they noted a large boat passing to the south. Then, a yellowish light was noticed above the boat, growing in size as if coming straight towards the witnesses, until it was about four inches (100cm) in apparent size and giving off an intense glare that lit up the southern side of the island. The witnesses’ dog reacted at the approach of the light. It was too bright to look at directly, when within seconds it went dark again, turning around, and going directly away, shrinking in size. Viewed through binoculars, there seemed to be a bright light reflecting onto the dark cigar-shaped object beneath it.
The light was estimated to be at about 800 feet high, and came within one kilometer of the island then dropped back to about ten kilometers. The witnesses watched the light until about l.30am, the dog quieting about 11.30pm. At 1.20mm the light travelled from south to south—east to stop near the South East Cape. It then became two blue lights. The witnesses by this time were tired and went to bed.
APRIL 1979 GORMANSTON SADDLE, TAS 0020hrs
TA 1979-126
The witness, a taxi driver, was going to collect a passenger when he rounded a curve onto a straight stretch. He noticed, that on his right, above a heap of gravel, was a green light with a purple edge, with an estimated diameter of three-quarters of a metre. The light came straight at the witness’s taxi and seemed to go directly over it. At this point, the interior of the vehicle was lit up as by daylight, and the vehicle lost power and would not accelerate. The motor just shook. The witness tried to call for help over his two-way radio, for about one minute as the taxi shook along, but the radio was out of action. The light seemed to move back ahead of the car as the driver swung down the left hand corner, then everything went dark and the car was back to normal. Arriving to pick up his passenger, the witness looked back, and saw a throbbing white light in the eastern sky, growing smaller and finally disappearing.
06.05.79 bet. BRIBIE ISLAND & BRISBANE, QLD (NL)
QA 1979-011
Mr & Mrs Ian Hay, and Mr & Mrs Bob Eglington were travelling from Bribie Island to Brisbane shortly after midnight. The wives were asleep in the back seat. After rounding the curve next to the Bergin Nursery, Ian and Bob could see bright orange lights ahead in the road and the surrounding area brightly lit up. The road then dipped, and as he came over the intervening ridge, Ian could see that these lights were not 'emergency' lights as he had originally thought, but were larger, and brighter. As well, the air itself appeared to be luminous, and the inside of the car lit up and the hood of the car appeared to be a different colour. At the same instant, the alternator light went on, his panel lights dimmed and the motor began chugging as if it were only firing on two pistons. Almost immediately, the group of lights left the ground, flying directly upwards, at great velocity. The lights were not seen again, despite Ian Hay's driving up and down that particular stretch of road a couple of times before leaving. Subsequent searches have revealed no ground markings.
REFER TO SKETCH
04-06.05.79 SA-WA BORDER
Source: Adelaide "Advertiser" 07.05.79
On and off for three days a red and silver UFO was reported over Eucla. "It was like a rocket, about three or four times the size of a jetliner, and hanging vertically."
09.05.79 LOBETHAL, SA 1845hrs (CE2)
Driving when saw a blue light, flying ahead of the vehicle. It was flashing and no other lights were visible. The driver then passed through Cuddly Creek and at 1900hrs saw a very bright, white light which appeared to flash occasionally. After turning a corner, the headlights of the car went off. The motor was still OK. As another car swung into view the car’s headlights came back on. Witnesses thought lights were aircraft. Peter Horne
25.05.79 bet BOONAH & ROADVALE, QLD 2045-2100hrs (CE1)
QA 1979-023
An object looking like a 'luminous fog-cloud' followed a car between Boonah and Roadvale. The object remained in front of the vehicle at all times, moving across the road from the right to the left. The object was constantly in view against a clear sky. Shape didn't alter and its illumination was constant. When the witness arrived at Roadvale Hall, the object could still be seen.
REFER TO SKETCH
01.06.79 IPSWICH (RIVERVIEW), QLD 1935-1945hrs (NL)
QA 1979-021
Mrs Jeffers and her four children watched some moving lights in the sky. The first one was observed at 7.35pm and moved from west to east. It was quite bright to start with and then it got smaller till it was about the size of one of the smaller stars. It disappeared for a moment, only to reappear again and changed it direction to a SW. Then it disappeared again.
Five minutes later there was another very faint light, moving in a SW direction, almost on the same course as the first light. Than at 7.45pm, a bright light came down from the north and was heading towards the southern horizon. It also got dimmer and smaller and disappeared
29.06.79 STONEVILLE, WA
WA 1979-004
The sixteen year old witness stated:
“I was awoken by a noise which sounded like a plane. Planes pass over fairly frequently, but this noise was slightly different and I was alarmed as it grew very loud. I then saw a large object fly across my vision through the
window. I was thinking it might be a RAAF plane, but it was brightly lit up and a large light in front like an enormous cockpit. The object seemed to be square, however this was hard to tell as there were so many lights of different colours, mainly blue, white and yellow. It was fairly low and at a slow speed, just above the tree tops. It passed over and seemed to disappear. Eventually I went back to bed, when thirty minutes later, I heard the same noise again, and going to the window, saw the same object again, rising up from behind some trees directly in front of my room. This time I was pretty certain it was not a plane. The light on its front was very bright and the full width of the object. The object moved directly towards me and over the house, eventually disappearing from sight."
07.07.79 BRISBANE (CLAYFIELD), QLD 2000hrs (Identified as Aircraft)
QA 1979-012
At approximately 8pm, Ray (18) and Kylie were standing on the footpath in front of Kylie's home in Clayfield. Kylie saw what appeared to be a streetlight low in the sky to the north, and drew Ray's attention to it. The light at first was stationary but began moving slowly eastwards. Curious, Ray and Kylie, mounted Ray's motorcycle and sped after it.
Approaching Eagle Junction Station, the light appeared to be not too distant in the north-east, still slowly moving east. Ray stopped the bike. The light now appeared to be blinking rapidly, and a dark greenish body behind the light could now be discerned.
REFER TO SKETCH
Kylie got off the bike, but as soon as she did, the object sped off eastwards. Ray and Kylie again gave chase. At the bridge on Junction Road, they could see it dropping down behind the houses one to two kilometres away slightly sorth and directly east of them. They rode towards the airport, to which it appeared to be heading but managed not to see the object again. Duration: ten to fifteen minutes.
20.07.79 BRISBANE (BANYO), QLD 1805-1830hrs (NL)
QA 1979-014
A twenty-two year old public servant (now a policeman) reported the following experience;
"At about 6:05pm, I was crossing the railway tracks at the Nudgee end of the Banyo Railway Station. To the NW I noticed out of the corner of my eye a pair of bright blue lights in the sky. I turned around and watched them closely. In unison, they flashed on and off at approximately one second intervals. They appeared to be far away, and moving very slowly north. I continued watching as I walked home. After a while, one light vanished. The remaining light was still visible when I got home but it was a lot fainter and appeared white. I brought my father out to watch it, but it was no longer interesting. After a few minutes, my father returned inside, while I continued to watch the light until 6:30pm."
20.07.79 EUDLO, QLD 1830hrs (CE1)
QA 1979-016
A thirty-one year old farmer reported that he was coming home on his tractor when he looked up and saw 'a flashing light'. He kept watching it until he reached home. He then called his wife outside and she saw it too. At this point, he described it as a small flashing light with a large flash underneath.
It came over towards the house reasonably close and then went in a NW direction. The large bright flash underneath was not visible when it was going away. The object appeared to be rotating, and the farmer thought that, the top flashing light may have been due to a 'lighthouse' effect.
REFER TO SKETCH
20.08.79 HATFIELD, TAS 2128hrs
TA 1979-112
While driving, a woman’s car was lit up by a greenish glow, and the vehicle lost power. The glowing object remained with the vehicle for some eight kilometres. Then, without warning the glow ceased.
29.08.79 MOUNT CAMERON, TAS 1930hrs
TA 1979-129
A dog barking caused a woman to go outside to see what the matter was. A light approached her and came within 100 metres. It then retreated the way it had come.
29.08.79 LOWHEAD, TAS 2200hrs
TA 1979-107
The first mate of a small trading vessel sighted lights going out over Bass Strait, and also tracked the lights on the ship’s radar. The object had flashing green and red lights, and a white light which shone onto both the sea and the vessel. The object appeared to be initially stationary and then slowly moved to the NNE. Using a recently installed radar system (Furno 68 mile), the Object was tracked over a 15-20 minute period, giving an estimated speed of 250 nautical mph. The ship’s lookout and engineer also visually observed the object. According to contemporary press report, Launceston Airport reported no aircraft in the area at the time.
22.09.79 nr BANKA BANKA, NT
Source: FOI request to Department of Transport 2004
Occurrence number 197904600. Occurrence id 66734. 22 Sep 1979. near Banka Banka, NT. Object in area. Search ACFT found burnt trees and white ash but no object. (Sneaky Martians?) Misc UFO consisting of white light trailing smoke. Sighted by three witnesses. F-27 Plt reported white.
NOTE: No colour was given for the lights, so the immediate presumption is that they were white. Also, this sighting started at the same time the Banyo (QA 1979-014) incident in Brisbane finished.
10.10.79 MT ISA (PARKSIDE), QLD (CE1)
Source: Courier Mail
Up to eighteen people had seen an unidentified flying object hovering above scrub on the outskirts of the city, a Parkside resident claimed yesterday. Mrs Ann Kennedy said she had been watching the object for two nights from her Hazel Street home
"It's monstrous. There are lights all around it but not in any set order. When it lands it gives a glow like the copper smelter when it pours."
Mrs Kennedy said her husband and three friends had visited the site where it landed.
"My husband had a new battery in his car and the power drained out when he was near the UFO."
It would seem that 100 or more people have made sightings in Mt Isa, and there has been some considerable UFO activity there. We are awaiting for more detailed reports.
19.10.79 nr BROKEN HILL, NSW
Source: FOI request to Department of Transport 2004
Occurrence number 197904657. Occurrence id 66791. 19 Oct 1979. Near Broken Hill NSW. Acft, however no known aircraft in area. Misc F-27 crew sighted UFO whilst on climb out. Flashing white light similar to strobe on high flying Fokker. B.V. F-27 Mk 200.