Disclosure Australia (AURA) - No 04 - Sept 2003

Magazine Overview

Title: DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA
Issue: Newsletter Four
Date: September 2003

This issue of Disclosure Australia, a newsletter from the Australian UFO Research Network and Secretariat (Australian UFO Research Association), focuses on the ongoing efforts to uncover and analyze government documents related to UFO phenomena in Australia.

Federal Government Document Search Update

The Secretariat has been actively requesting digital copies of UFO-related files from the National Australia Archives (NAA). Due to limitations on the number of digital requests per person per year, six members of the Secretariat have participated in this process. While some of the forty-nine identified files are already in their possession or available digitally, others are being pursued. A significant point is that the NAA website indicates that electronically accessible items represent only 10% of their entire collection, meaning the forty-nine located files may only be a fraction of the total records pertaining to UFOs.

The Secretariat is developing a strategy to search the remaining 90% of NAA holdings, starting with records based in Adelaide. They are also investigating the possibility of accessing records previously held by the Commonwealth Investigation Service (CIS), which may have been transferred to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) or the Commonwealth Police Force.

Woomera UFO Files

As previously mentioned in Newsletter Three, file D174 (control symbol SA 5281) from the Adelaide office of the NAA, titled “Unusual Occurrences Flying Saucer at Woomera,” covers the period 1952-1955. Sightings from Woomera have been reported over the years, and there are hints of more relevant files. Peter Morton's 1984 research into the Anglo-Australian joint project at Woomera resulted in the book “Fire Across the Desert.” Morton's website includes a paper, “Engaging With Leviathan: A Historian's Perspective on accessing the Woomera records,” which notes that the voluminous records relating to Woomera itself have likely never been catalogued and may still be stored chaotically in abandoned Technical Area offices, possibly with titles like "Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects.” The Secretariat is now pursuing records from Woomera for the years 1956-1972, with assistance from NAA Adelaide staff.

Australian Flying Saucer Research Society File

One of the digitally available NAA files is 56/2773, titled “The Australian Flying Saucer Research Society.” This file was part of the Commonwealth Investigation Service (CIS) Canberra. The CIS's role included maintaining liaison with various government services and providing personnel for special investigations. In 1949, some CIS roles transferred to ASIO and others to the Commonwealth Police Force. The file on the civilian UFO group contains only a single document: a newspaper article headlined “Men from Mars!” which discusses the close approach of Mars in 1956 and the AFSR's intention to train telescopes on the planet. The Secretariat is applying to ASIO under the Archives Act to search for any files held by that agency relating to early Australian flying saucer groups and individuals.

Goulburn Radar Visual Case

A significant Australian radar visual event occurred on August 31, 1954, near Goulburn, NSW. A Navy pilot reported a bright light that closed in on his aircraft and appeared to orbit. Nowra radar confirmed two “paints” along with the Navy aircraft. The lights departed to the north-east. The pilot described a “vague shape with the white light situated centrally on top.” The Secretariat has obtained copies of two files related to this event: MP926/1 (Control Symbol 3079/101/1) from the Melbourne NAA office, and SP338/3 (Control Symbol 13/4/10) from the Sydney NAA office. File MP926/1 consists of 19 pages, including a minute paper cover, drafts to the Minister, newspaper clippings, and internal memos from the Department of Naval Intelligence (DNI) and RAN Air Stations. Notably, it mentions a committee set up to consider such reports, which is unknown to UFO researchers. File SP338/3 contains 10 pages, including reports from a radar operator and pilot, and memos between RAN units.

Sandy Creek and South Australian Police Special Branch

While compiling a listing of South Australian UFO reports (1932-2003) for the Disclosure Australia website, a close encounter reported in the “Adelaide Advertiser” on July 10, 1963, was found. The sole male witness encountered a blood-red coloured object extending across the Lyndoch-Gawler road near Sandy Creek Hotel. The object, described as eight metres across and four high with a concave top and flat base, glowed blood-red, rose suddenly, and sped off. The witness was interviewed by a CIB Special Branch officer. The Secretariat notes that no UFO researcher has interviewed the witness, and no WRE or Police documents have surfaced. A check of the South Australian Freedom of Information (FOI) Act reveals that the Police Department is an exempt agency regarding Special Branch records. Therefore, a request has been made to the SA Police for the document outside the provisions of the FOI Act, as the matter may not be considered criminal or intelligence-related.

South Australia Police Records

An examination of the South Australian listing of UFO reports (1932-2003) revealed 16 instances where police members reportedly witnessed UFOs or were involved in investigations between 1957 and 1997. A request has been made to the SA Police under the FOI Act for copies of documents related to these instances and any other relevant documents or internal policy. The patrol logs in South Australia are kept for a maximum of two years, and the recommended method for record searches is via form PD360, costing $22.30 plus an hourly labour fee.

Website Updates

Four new cases have been added to the sample archive on the Disclosure web site: Malanda, Qld. (Jan 1, 1990 - multiple witnesses to a nocturnal light), Liverpool Creek, Qld. (Feb 9, 1979 - vehicle interference case), Kununurra, WA. (Dec 9, 1977 - aircraft pilot observation), and Cressy, Tas. (Oct 4, 1960 - cigar and smaller objects).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently emphasizes the importance of archival research and the systematic pursuit of government records related to UFO phenomena. The editorial stance is one of diligent investigation, seeking to uncover historical cases and official documentation. There is a clear focus on Australian cases and the challenges of accessing information through official channels, including the use of Freedom of Information requests and direct appeals to agencies. The publication aims to collate and disseminate findings from these investigations to the UFO research community.