NEWSLETTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Magazine Overview

Title: NEWSLETTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Issue Date: JUNE 2006
Publisher: DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA
Country: Australia
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of the Disclosure Australia Newsletter, titled "Newsletter Twenty-Seven," dated June 2006, delves into the intriguing 1966 Westall, Victoria UFO incident. It also provides updates on the Disclosure Australia Project's archival research and organizational changes.

The Westall UFO Incident

The central focus of this newsletter is the UFO incident that occurred on April 6, 1966, in Westall, a Melbourne suburb. The event is described as involving a "dazzling, silver object flying around, 'hovering' then 'descending' behind some trees near a school." Several private aircraft were reported flying towards the trees when the object was out of sight. The UFO then reappeared, rising to the level of the approaching aircraft. It was described as being "lengthy as a Cessna aircraft, but very thin." As the aircraft approached, the UFO tilted at a 45-degree angle and moved away, gaining height. The aircraft increased speed to follow, but the object "streaked away." Reports also mentioned that ground traces were found nearby and that uniformed men, possibly from the RAAF, attended the scene.

Shane Ryan of Canberra has led a re-investigation of this event and moderates an online Yahoo group dedicated to it. This group has facilitated the surfacing of original witnesses and is conducting retrospective research into the incident's nature.

Government Documentation and Investigations

A significant portion of the newsletter addresses the question of Federal Government documents related to the Westall incident. A search through the RAAF UFO policy (554/30/1 series) and sightings files (580/1/1 series) from that era failed to yield any relevant paperwork. Similarly, no pertinent documents were found in RecordSearch on the National Archives of Australia (NAA) website or from any other government agency.

This lack of visible government documentation leads to two contrasting conclusions: either the incident was so secret that official papers were never filed, or the event did not involve a UFO, thus not requiring filing in UFO-related records. UFOlogists tend to favor the former, while others remain uncertain.

The newsletter explores potential explanations for the event if it were not a UFO, including a conventional aircraft incident (e.g., fuel dumping), a "secret" aircraft incident (noting USAF U2s were based at nearby Laverton RAAF base), a satellite re-entry, or a balloon incident.

Further archival searches are ongoing. Leads being pursued include RAAF file B94 33/Air/7/Part 1 ("Crash of USAF aircraft. Laverton RAAF base"), though its date range (19 Sep 1962 to 5 Nov 1965) suggests it may not be directly relevant. Another file is A1533 1956/2626 Part 2 ("Incidents, bombs and hoaxes-other than aircraft"), a Commonwealth Police file covering 1966.

The project seeks information from anyone aware of official documentation or personal knowledge of the Westall event.

Minister of Defence Replies and CAPIO

In a previous newsletter (Newsletter 25), the Project had inquired about the Australian Government's involvement in UFO phenomena with the Minister of Defence. The reply confirmed that the Australian Government has never conducted scientific research into UFO phenomena and that the current Department of Defence does not investigate UFOs.

File A703 569/5/451, titled "Representations on behalf of Commonwealth Aerial Phenomena Investigations Organisation re Unidentified Flying Objects in Australia," has been digitized by the NAA. This file contains correspondence between government officials and CAPIO, a collective of Australian UFO groups led by Melbourne lawyer Peter Norris. CAPIO lobbied the government to fund a scientific investigation into UFOs, similar to the US "Condon study."

The RAAF's perspective, as expressed in a March 16, 1967, Department of Air minute, was that their primary concern was to ascertain any potential threat to Australia from the air. They stated no objection to government backing for an organization delving into the UFO question, provided their prerogative was maintained. However, the Directorate could not decide government policy on this matter.

Ultimately, the Government advised CAPIO that national interests were adequately served by existing arrangements and that providing financial assistance for research into unidentified objects would not be advantageous at that time. The "arrangements" referred to the RAAF's existing practice of reviewing UFO reports.

Other Archival Discoveries

Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) File: A previously unknown file, B595 21/1/387 Part 2, titled "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena," was recently located at the NAA Canberra. Its status is "not yet examined," and a copy is unavailable, but it covers the period 1962-1965. Newsletter 17 reportedly contained a comprehensive review of DCA's involvement in the Australian UFO phenomenon.

RAAF UFO Sightings Files: The RAAF maintained a series of files (A703 580/1/1) detailing UFO reports. Thirty-five parts are known, with Parts 1-29 and 32 released and examined by the Project. Parts 30, 31, 33-35 are pending examination by the NAA. The Project has compiled listings of released reports.

Number of UFO Files: The Project has uncovered a total of 103 Australian Government UFO files, with summaries of most available on their CD-ROM.

Department of Navy File: A Department of Navy file, A6826 1361/1/1-3, titled "Earth Satellites, space vehicles, Unidentified Flying Objects-general," is only three pages long and contains a cover sheet and summary. The only UFO-related item on the summary is a "Reported sighting of falling object, Territory of Papua and New Guinea 24 May 1959."

Project Updates and Personnel Changes

Dom's Talk: At a Sydney UFO conference in May 2006, Dominic McNamara presented an update on Disclosure Australia, covering materials obtained from the National Archives and types of UFO reports uncovered.

Witness Interviews: On behalf of the Project, Dom has interviewed Harry Turner (former Government Joint Intelligence Bureau employee) and Elizabeth May (former tracking camera operator at Woomera).

Website Change: The Project has a new website location: http://disclosure.freewebpages.org.

Project Secretariat: The Disclosure Australia Project is driven by the Australian UFO Research Association (AURA), which acts as its Secretariat.

Personnel Changes: AURA has experienced several personnel changes. Debbie, Helen, Alex, and Colin have stood down for various reasons. Dom, Jeff, and Kathy remain active members. Keith has returned from leave and is compiling and distributing the Project newsletter.

Contact Information: Contact details for Disclosure Australia are provided, including PO Box 738, Jimboomba, 4280, and the email address [email protected]. AURA's contact details are also provided: email [email protected] and snail mail PO Box 786, North Adelaide South Australia 5006.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this newsletter is the persistent effort to uncover and analyze official documentation related to UFO phenomena in Australia. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent archival research, seeking transparency, and encouraging public participation in reporting information. There is a clear focus on historical cases like Westall, while also acknowledging the challenges posed by government secrecy or lack of records. The newsletter champions the work of independent researchers and organizations like AURA and the Disclosure Australia Project in their pursuit of understanding unexplained aerial phenomena.