MYSTERY OBJECT REPORT
1952
MT ISA North Star © August 4th
Reports of mystery flying object sighted over Mount ISA on Tuesday night poured into the Northern Star office yesterday.

One of the most detailed reports came from former wartime pilot Mr Neil Hart, a founder of the Mount Isa Glider Club.
Mr. Hart, said the object which he described as a "ball of light with yellow tints" appeared directly above the glider-port on the Duchess Road. "It was travelling due north between 35 to 45 degrees at a speed of about 1200 mph," he said. Mr. Hart said the object's height was about 8000 feet to 15000. feet. He said the object had a a tail 20 times its own length. It remained in his vision for no longer than five seconds.

Not a jet plane
Mr. Felix Leahy
Mr. Hart said he could hear no sound from the object because of the noise near him. However, the object was not a jet aircraft. "The fact that it was travelling due north towards the Gulf implies that it could have been a Woomera vehicle and going in that direction in case something went wrong," he said.

It was unlikely the object was a space vehicle re-entering the atmosphere as it kept a steady glow. However, it was not beyond possibility that it was a re-entry vehicle.

Six MIM staff men and two women who were playing tennis at the Mine side tennis court also reported seeing the UFO. One of the players, Mr Dean Giles, fo 30 Oak Street Mount Isa, said. "We saw the UFO at 9.58 p.m in the sky eat of Mount Isa travelling due north in horizontal flight. "It was well below the cloud level. "Flames of an orange colour were coming from the object's tail, and it was emitting a hissing sound like a steam train. "we could not define the precise shape of the object, but it was not an aircraft."

Light from tail

Another of the tennis players, Mr. Alan Heath of Staff Barracks Sunflower Street, Mount Isa , said. "The object emitted a yellow-orange light from the tail. "It was not the exhaust from a jet aircraft. "The noise was similar to that made by a steam train."

Mr. George Stacey, of 17 Marauka Street, Soldiers Hill Mount Isa added: "The object hissed ot purring sound. "Orange - yellow flames were coming from the exhaust."

The other five tennis players who reported the UFO are Mrs. Giles (wife of Dean Giles) Felix Leahy, Staff Barracks 12 Sunflower Street; Dr Brian Edwards, staff Barracks sunflower Street, Mr. W Kable, Townview and Paul Wright, 3 Roseberry Avenue.

A number of other reports of the mystery object included a sighting by Mr. E Bishop of 108 Fourth Avenue. Mr. Bishop said that about 10 p.m. on Tuesday he was at Mount Isa Hospital when he saw the UFO.
Seen by Nurses

Several nurses in the hospital grounds were standing watching the UFO as it travelled in the direct line south to north, to the east of Mount Isa. Mr Bishop said he could not judge how high or how far away it was, but said that it did not lose or gain altitude.

The object disappeared in a cloud bank well before it reached the horizon, he said. The UFO appeared to be about the same size as Fokker Friendship aircraft. The tail was twice as long as the vehicle, which was white at the nose varying to red at tail. The object was cigarshaped, with a bulbous nose.

A Mount Isa Department of civil Aviation officer said yesterday he could not comment on the reported UFO sightings.
Dr. Brian Edwards
A senior official of the Meteorological Office at Cloncurry Aerodrome said yesterday that there had been no reports of any sightings in the Cloncurry area.