Disclosure Australia (AURA) - No 19 - Dec 2004

Magazine Overview

This document is a newsletter from DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA, identified as "NEWSLETTER NINETEEN" and dated DECEMBER 2004. It is a publication of AURA (Australian UFO Research Network and Secretariat: the Australian UFO Research Association). The newsletter focuses on UFO-related files and historical sightings in Australia.

ASIO UFO Related File

The newsletter reports on the release of an ASIO file, series A6122, control symbol 2155, with a date range of 1959-1973, titled "Queensland Flying Saucer Bureau Volume 1." The file, originally ASIO file number 3/2/979 vol 1, was "open with exception." Of the original 36 pages, 15 were exempted, leaving 21 pages released.

A four-page "secret" report from August 1959, along with a covering letter, explains ASIO's interest in the Queensland Flying Saucer Bureau. The report cites concerns about "communist influence" within the Bureau, naming a committee member whose wife's parents were described as "pacifists and communists." Another committee member was described as a "fanatic in matters relating to U.F.Os" who would "resort to any means to obtain information concerning them." The report concluded that while the Bureau did not currently pose a "serious concern," its activities would be "constantly watched" due to the possibility of Soviet contact and increased Communist Party membership.

This report was forwarded by ASIO Qld to ASIO HQ. The newsletter also mentions a report dated 12 August 1959 on a "Play Reading" evening, listing attendees, one of whom was a member of the Flying Saucer Research Group.

A memo dated 5 July 1960 from the Regional Director ASIO ACT to ASIO HQ forwarded a letter from Fred Stone of the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society. Stone's letter to the RAAF mentioned "pink' tendencies" in a Sydney UFO group, and the ASIO memo suggested Stone might have "potential value" for regional directors.

A folio dated 17 July 1961 from the Regional Security Officer SA to the Chief Security Officer Melbourne concerned Donald Frederick Stone, who commenced employment at the WRE Salisbury.

A "secret" memo dated 9 January 1962 from Regional Director ASIO SA to ASIO HQ forwarded a report on the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society, which was not released.

Two Department of Supply folios from June 1963 concerned Donald Frederick Stone's involvement with Scientology.

No papers were released until 17 February 1971, when an acting Establishment Investigations Officer at WRE Salisbury reported that Donald Frederick Stone had ceased employment on 29 January 1971 and was going to the United Kingdom for Scientology.

A 3 November 1972 ASIO SA memo referenced a 13 October 1972 report concerning Colin Norris, who claimed correspondence with Soviet academicians on UFOs and spoke to the Young Socialists League about UFOs. This report referred to an earlier 1969 report not on file.

Finally, a 15 August 1973 "Telephone message" from "Supervisor (Intelligence)" concerned Donald Frederick Stone and his connection to Scientology.

The summary notes that the file contained information on the Queensland Flying Saucer Bureau, the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society, and UFO researchers Colin Norris and Fred Stone. It remained unclear if Donald Frederick Stone was the same person as ufologist Fred Stone. The newsletter indicated plans to follow up with ASIO for files on the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society and early UFO researchers.

Another Woomera File

The newsletter also reports on another file located in the Sydney office of the NAA, a "Secret" Department of Supply file series D250/3, control symbol 1956/483 Part 1, titled "Reports on unidentified aircraft, strange occurrences etc."

Key incidents from this file include:

• 28 April 1952, Woomera West SA: Three men observed a light in the sky moving WNW, estimated to be one-third the size of the full Moon.
• 27 September 1952, Woomera SA: Five witnesses at the Open Air Theatre sighted objects described as "cigar," "airship," or "cylindrical" with an "exhaust," travelling horizontally with no noise.
• 8 October 1952, Woomera SA: Radar acquired a target similar to a large aircraft, which approached to within one mile and was tracked at heights between 1500 and 5600 feet. Smaller targets appeared to detach from the main target.
• 29 & 30 July 1953, Woomera SA: Unidentified aircraft were reported visually and on radar.
• 29 July 1953, Woomera SA: Sightings included a "round shining object," a "small white round object," and "spherical objects" seen through binoculars. One object was mistaken for a bomb, but photographs revealed nothing unusual. An investigation suggested the objects were balls of thistle seeds.
• 15 October 1953, Woomera SA: Radar detected an object at 60,000-70,000 yards East of Post R Range A, initially thought to be an aircraft but later identified as a known aircraft.
• 14 November 1953, Woomera SA: A "glare" was sighted, believed to be an aircraft.
• 5 May 1954, Woomera SA: A "major event" described as Radar/visual, previously shown in Newsletter Three.
• 13 April 1956, Peak Hill SA: An object was seen travelling at aircraft speed, leaving a vapour trail.

Media Relations

During November, Debbie Payne and Keith Basterfield were interviewed on five regional and Capital City ABC radio stations concerning the Disclosure Project.

FOI Requests

The Project submitted two more FOI requests to Government agencies: the CSIRO and the Department of Defence (Army, Navy, DSTO, DOD's Intelligence Group), seeking papers on UFOs since 1 December 1977. This brings the total FOI requests to five, with previous requests going to the Department of Defence for RAAF UFO files and the Department of Transport.

Outstanding Archive File Requests

Two RAAF Darwin files are awaiting examination: File series E1327, control symbol 5/4/AIR Part 1 ("Unusual sightings-incidents," 1960-1968) and E1327 5/3/Air part 1 ("Maritime and air incident contacts," 1966-1992). Their status changed from "Not yet examined" to "With held pending agency advice."

Contacting the Project

Contact information for DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA is provided: PO Box 783, Jimboomba 4280, e-mail: [email protected].

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently focuses on transparency regarding UFO-related information held by Australian government agencies, particularly ASIO and the RAAF. It highlights efforts to obtain declassified documents through FOI requests and archival research. The editorial stance appears to be one of investigative journalism, aiming to uncover and disseminate information about UFO phenomena and government handling of such cases. There is a clear interest in historical sightings and the potential for intelligence agency involvement or surveillance related to UFO research groups and individuals.