Australian UFO Bulletin - 1975 02 - February

Magazine Overview

This issue of the U.F.O. Bulletin, published by the VICTORIAN U.F.O. RESEARCH SOCIETY in February, 1975, is registered for posting as a periodical under Category B and is priced at 20 cents. The cover prominently features the resignation of Mrs. Judy Magee and announces a Society Night event.

Society News and Events

Resignation of Mrs. Judy Magee

The Committee of the Victorian UFO Research Society regretfully announced the resignation of Mrs. Judy Magee. Mrs. Magee had been a member since the Society's inception in 1957 and served conscientiously on the Committee, holding offices such as Secretary and most recently Vice-President. During the Society's publication of a printed magazine, she was active on the editorial board and lectured on UFOs to various organizations. She was also a frequent contributor to overseas publications like the English "Flying Saucer Review", earning a reputation as a foremost female UFO investigator. Her resignation was due to pressure of business and personal commitments, but she will remain a member and serve as a special adviser.

Society Night

A Society Night was scheduled for Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 pm at Guy's Coffee Lounge, Shop 7, Balcombe Walk, Mentone. A three-course meal was to be served, followed by a slide-illustrated talk and discussion by Society lecturers Paul Norman and Judy Magee. The charge was $1.25 per person. Members were requested to apply to the secretary by letter, enclosing payment, and could bring friends.

Members' Nights

The Society rooms at 12th floor, 100 Collins St., were open on the second and fourth Friday evenings of each month from 7:30 pm, offering access to the library and the latest overseas publications.

Membership Renewal Notice

A notice stated: "WATCH THIS SPACE! YOUR MEMBERSHIP IS CURRENT EXPIRES THIS ISSUE." Annual membership fees were listed as $4.20 for Australian members (Juniors $2.10) and US$2.50 for overseas members.

French Defence Minister Speaks on UFOs

This section features excerpts from a radio interview given by Monsieur Robert Galley, Ministre des Armées, to Jean-Claude Bourret of France-Inter on February 21, 1974. The interview, broadcast on February 21, 1974, was widely reported in French newspapers but seemingly ignored by British and Australian media.

Minister Galley expressed a profound belief in the necessity of an open-minded attitude towards UFO phenomena, acknowledging that some aspects are currently unexplained and inexplicable. He stated that since 1970, the Air Force had been collecting reports, primarily from pilots and the gendarmerie. However, the Air Force does not consider UFOs a danger and considers their study to be within the purview of the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), where people like Monsieur Poher are involved.

Galley mentioned his personal interest in the relationship between magnetic field variations and UFOs. He noted the significant increase in visual sightings of luminous phenomena, often spherical or ovoid, travelling at high speeds, which warrant attention. He reiterated that the Air Force does not see these matters as involving national air defence.

In response to a question about gendarmerie investigations, Galley acknowledged that the reports from gendarmes are numerous and varied, and while fragmentary, they suggest that an open mind is essential. He emphasized the sincerity of eyewitnesses and stated it was too early to draw conclusions.

"Flying Saucer Nest" in the Thistles

A report from the Sydney Sun-Herald (February 15, 1974) describes a "flying saucer nest" discovered near Forbes, New South Wales. Brothers Viv and George Huckle found a 20 ft. diameter patch of saffron thistles where the earth was bared at the center and thistles were swept down anticlockwise towards the perimeter. Some stems were pulped. Theories like cattle camp, sheep camp, whirlwind, or emu's nest were ruled out by the brothers, who were awaiting UFO researchers to compare it with similar reports from Queensland.

Call for Information

The bulletin urged members to report any UFO sightings in their area or send in photocopies or clippings of UFO articles from newspapers or magazines, emphasizing that members are a valuable source of information.

Close Sighting at St. Kilda

This section details a sighting by a witness identified as Mrs. X, who lives alone in a 12-storey Housing Commission block in St. Kilda. She reported two unusual sightings on successive nights, occurring around 11:15 pm.

First Sighting

While depositing rubbish, Mrs. X saw a bright yellow-white light object approaching from the northwest. The object stopped and hovered motionless, shining a beam directly at her. She felt paralyzed by shock and fear. The object then rose vertically and disappeared over the roof. Mrs. X described it as "bun-shaped" with a projecting headlight, estimating its dimensions as roughly 7 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet.

Second Sighting

The following night, while seated by her open window, Mrs. X again saw the yellow-white "headlight" approaching from the northwest. The object stopped directly opposite her window, higher than her position. She observed a "sliding door" open quickly, revealing an intense white light inside that appeared "sparkling and crackling like decoration lights." She described seeing "a mass of pipes" inside, suggesting complicated machinery. The object remained silent and still, with its headlight shining forward. She could not see below the "door" but felt it was the complete object.

Aftermath and Witness Testimony

Mrs. X experienced a sensation of being paralyzed, profuse perspiration, sickness, and a headache, which lingered for days. She visited her doctor, who prescribed a tonic and tranquillizers but did not seem impressed. Mrs. X, who is 79, stated she had no prior interest in UFOs and had always dismissed such stories as "products of imagination." She adamantly believed what she saw could not be explained by conventional aircraft, helicopters, or balloons, and that the experience was vividly etched in her memory. She expressed a desire not to see such objects again and had endured ridicule from neighbors.

Corroborating Witness

Mrs. X mentioned a man she knew slightly who, after hearing her story, told her he had seen a similar object the morning after her second sighting. However, she did not know his name or address.

UFO Over the Grampians

A report from Noble Park describes a sighting by a man and three other witnesses of a glowing, soundless cigar-shaped object from Hall's Gap during Easter, 1974. The object, about one quarter moon size, hovered for about 90 minutes at an elevation of 30 degrees, changing color from blue to gold. The witness described a "warm feeling" and a sense that the object was communicating mentally.

Increased Sightings in N.S.W.

A letter to the Editor of the Lithgow Mercury from Rex Gilroy, director of the Mount York Natural History Museum, highlights a significant increase in UFO sightings in the Bathurst, Wallerawang, Lithgow, and Blue Mountains to Penrith area. Over the past 5 years, there has been a decided increase, with over 300 sightings in that period, 82 of which occurred in 1973. An additional 20 sightings were reported in the Lithgow district over the past 12 months.

UFO Over Walkerston

Two women and five children in a car near Walkerston, Queensland, reported being alarmed by bright lights in the shape of a cross with a bright red revolving light in the center, moving overhead around 9:30 pm on a Saturday night. Aircraft and airline officials suggested it might be aircraft lights, but the witnesses insisted the object was too low and entirely soundless.

Scamander Sighting is Tasmania's Best

This report details a sighting in Scamander, Tasmania, regarded as one of the best made in the state. Roger Brooks, a senior English master, and Gary Bensemann, a student, watched an unusual pale yellow light with green and pink lights below it for 1 hour and 43 minutes. The UFO, estimated at 1600 feet, darted about, hovered like a helicopter, and flashed colored lights. Mr. Ken Bennetto, sighting officer of the Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre, ruled out conventional explanations. The object was described as "an object mainly composed of lights: the brightest one, pale yellow, was shaped like a dome; beneath that green, pink, and occasional white and pale blue lights moved from left to right around what appeared to be a disc like an upturned plate." The lower part was described as an area of light rather than solid. The UFO was followed by car for 8-9 miles. Professor J. Allen Hynek suggested that UFOs might originate from another dimension.

A Second Sighting of Light

Another Kempsey resident, Mr. Patrick Mowle, reported sighting a strange light in the sky. He and three other members of the Kempsey Flying Club saw a "small white light rapidly flashing on and off" halfway between Crescent Head and Port Macquarie. The light, appearing about the size of a half moon, flashed on and off for about 10 seconds and disappeared on three separate occasions. Experienced pilots agreed it could not have been a normal aircraft.

Kallista UFO

A Kallista woman reported a sighting at about 10:30 pm on October 30. The object, described as soundless, pure gold, and "boat-shaped with a mast at each end," was first seen in the southeast and last seen in the northwest. She estimated its size as that of a one cent piece at arm's length and noted it travelled steadily forward at a speed she could not estimate. The duration was in minutes, and there were no other witnesses.

UFOs of the World Unite

Australia has joined a global body studying the UFO phenomenon, centered at the "Centre For UFO Studies" founded by Professor J. Allen Hynek. This organization aims to create a complete global network for UFO investigation, coordinating reports from various countries. The Australian Section, based in Gosford, will coordinate reports from Australian UFO groups and forward them to the American center. The report mentions the use of standard report forms and the international "Panatone" color system for descriptions. A case from Tasmania is highlighted where a car's radio malfunctioned and made piercing noises during a UFO sighting.

UFO Sighting (Wyoming, NSW)

Eighteen-year-old Harry Pinhorn of Wyoming, NSW, reported seeing a large grey object hover over the factory where he works. The object, described as silent, flew across from the northwest, hovered, and then disappeared upwards. Harry's report was deemed "authentic" by Mr. Harry Griesberg of the Central Coast UFO Research Bureau, who stated that the object's reported course ruled out explanations like planes or weather balloons.

What Was It? (Sunraysia)

A UFO made a brief appearance above Sunraysia, reported by Mr. Thomas D. Watkins, a professor working with CSIRO. He heard a "sharp buzzing noise" and saw a "very bright round object moving extremely rapidly across the sky from north to south." Mr. Watkins, a scientist, calmly reported the event, emphasizing the duty to report such occurrences.

Boys Say UFOs in Field (Fingal, Tasmania)

Seven schoolboys camping at Fingal were terrified by what they described as two UFOs. They reported two disc-like objects, "a bit bigger than desks," landing in a paddock about 200 yards from their camp. The objects emitted a "humming noise" and flashing lights of green and orange. The boys left their camp and walked home, with flashes of light following them.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the reporting of numerous UFO sightings across Australia, the challenges in explaining these phenomena, and the efforts to standardize and coordinate UFO research globally. The editorial stance appears to be one of encouraging detailed reporting from members, acknowledging the sincerity of witnesses, and maintaining an open mind towards the subject, while also highlighting the work of official and unofficial investigative bodies. The issue emphasizes the importance of gathering and sharing information to better understand the UFO phenomenon.