Disclosure Australia (AURA) - No 28 - Aug 2006

Magazine Overview

Title: DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA
Issue: NEWSLETTER TWENTY EIGHT
Date: AUGUST 2006
Publisher: Auspiced by the Australian UFO Research Network, with Secretariat from the Australian UFO Research Association.

This issue of Disclosure Australia delves into previously uncovered RAAF Darwin UFO files spanning from 1974 to 1990. The newsletter details the findings of the Disclosure Australia Project's examination of these files, which were accessed through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The content highlights various UFO sightings, investigations, and official responses from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and other government bodies.

RAAF Darwin UFO Papers 1974-1990 Uncovered

The primary focus of this issue is the analysis of RAAF Darwin file 5/4/Air part 6/7, which covers the years 1974-1990. This file was not readily available under the Archives Act, necessitating an FOI request. A memo from May 1984 indicated the existence of six closed parts of the 5/4/Air file. Reports from this file include:

• October 16, 1974: A group of reddish, 'tailed' lights were observed travelling rapidly across the sky from Darwin to Western Australia.
• October 16, 1981: A 'restricted' memo discussed the confusion surrounding the re-entry of a meteorite near Marble Bar, which was mistakenly reported as a nuclear-powered satellite. It emphasized maintaining the RAAF UAS investigation chain and classifying reports as 'probable space debris' or 'probable meteorite'.
• April 18, 1979: Near Katherine, NT, two individuals reported a 'space ship' hovering 100-130m above a remote road. The object was described as oblong with round corners, approximately the length and width of three road-train trailers, surrounded by a green haze with a bright light shining vertically down and flashing lights. It disappeared noiselessly.
• March 3, 1982: A couple in a caravan awoke to an unusual smell and a light green mist filling the caravan. Their bedside clock showed an incorrect time, and a black footprint was found on a shower wall at a height of 76cms. The memo noted that the Katherine area had been the source of several recent UAS reports from reliable observers, including an NT Police Air Wing pilot and other police personnel.
• October 25, 1983: A fireman near Humpty Doo, NT, reported that his vehicle's lights, cassette player, and other electrics suddenly ceased operating. The electrics returned to normal when he opened the vehicle door.
• January 1, 1984: Two police officers near Hermansburg Police Station, Alice Springs, saw two very bright white oval lights go behind sand dunes.
• April 1983: A student reported an oval-shaped object, blue on top and red beneath, which made a buzzing sound as it moved away. The same student later reported glimpsing a 'ghostly figure' with a pear-shaped head and cat's eyes.
• May 31, 1984: A commercial pilot near Wittenoom, WA, reported a sighting and noted 'Complete VHF failure, whole area, trouble for two weeks/coincides with, cosmic conspiracy, CIA agent in US, anti-gravity tests.'
• March 13, 1986: A minute titled 'Unexplained radar paint' discussed a radar return of low-level traffic arriving from the north, tracking towards Darwin, which disappeared overhead Lee Point. Visual observation noted lights similar to a high-level overfly, with no traffic present to explain the returns.
• February 1990: A passenger on a civil airflight climbing out of Maningrida reported seeing a 'fawn' or 'khaki' jet-looking aircraft passing below. Investigations were ongoing by Customs Coastwatch, with CAA interested for possible air safety compromise.

The newsletter concludes that this NT file contains more interesting reports than many other RAAF files examined.

RAAF File AF84/3265 Part 2

This section details findings from a recently examined file following an FOI request:

1. July 5, 1983: A minute titled 'Unidentified high speed radar tracking Sydney radar' for the Minister from the Chief of Air Staff stated that strong tracks, consistent with aircraft, were observed by RAAF and civilian controllers. HQ Operational Command was instructed to use RAAF radars with an interceptor aircraft on standby. There was high confidence the tracks were not due to aircraft or 'other objects', with the cause believed to be random atmospheric conditions and/or possible interference. Tracks were seen only on Sydney radar, not at Williamtown or Armidale. The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) issued a press release attributing the returns to interference or atmospheric conditions.
2. May 20-24, 1983: A series of UFO reports from Bendigo, Victoria, led to a RAAF field investigation. The investigator concluded that unusual atmospheric conditions played a part, and while one set of photographs might show the star Procyon, the source of another photographed light in the north-western skies remained undetermined.
3. July 22, 1983: Statements from several Victorian Police Officers described sightings of at least one, possibly two, unusual low-level objects in the Rockbank area. One Sergeant described an object as an inflatable life raft, approximately 12 metres in length with rounded sides and a shallow body of 2 metres depth, with a red flashing light. There were no visible wings or tail, and the only audible sound was a quiet wind noise.

1996 Department of Defence (DOD) Policy Document

Courtesy of Adrian Ross, a document titled 'Defence Instructions (General) ADMIN 55-1' dated June 13, 1996, concerning 'Unusual Aerial Sightings Policy', was acquired. This document instructs that such instructions should be filed under specific service codes (NAVY ADMIN 65-7, ARMY ADMIN 77-1, AIR FORCE ADMIN 13-7). It outlines the Department's limited interest in UAS reports and directs callers to civilian UFO organizations.

Other RAAF Files and Documents

• RAAF files AF84/3744 Part 1 & AF84/3265 Part 3: These files, obtained under FOI, document UFO reports in 1983, mostly low-weight nocturnal light observations.
• RAAF files 580/1/1 Parts 28, & 30-32: These files from the RAAF's long-running UFO report series in the NAA have been released, with digital images available online. The project has summarized their contents, which mainly consist of low-weight, nocturnal light observations.
• MT1131/1 A31/1/102: A 9-page file examined and released by the NAA, containing correspondence from R Baudish to the Department of Army in 1957, inquiring about UFO reports associated with military exercises. The combined reply from the Army, Navy, and Air departments was that there had been none.
• AVROCAR: A two-page file (A6059 23/441/7) contained a 'Secret' memo from the Australian Military Mission in Washington USA, dated January 28, 1959, titled 'Flying Saucer Avrocar', describing a US Army 'flying saucer' and including a photograph of the vehicle.
• UFOs and the weather (PP956/1 45/38): A 67-page file titled 'Observations-General by outside authorities (including UFO)' contains weather observations and a few UFO reports from 1972-1974, primarily low-weight nocturnal lights.

What Happened at Westall?

The NAA recently digitized file 694/7/22 Part 4, related to 'Project Crowflight,' which involved USAF (U-2 and RB57) aircraft flying from Victorian RAAF bases to gather information on upper atmosphere radioactivity. Originally based at RAAF East Sale, the project later moved to Laverton RAAF base in Melbourne and the Department of Supply airfield at Avalon near Geelong. The release of Part 4 of the crowflight files suggests that the Westall incident on April 6, 1966, may not have been related to these aircraft, as USAF operations at Avalon ceased in February 1966, Sale in early February 1966, and Laverton in December 1965.

Where to from here with the Project?

The Disclosure Australia Project has examined 126 Government files containing over 10,000 pages indexed through NAA's RecordSearch. However, it is estimated that RecordSearch only registers about 10% of the NAA's entire collection, suggesting many more UFO files may exist but are difficult to locate. The project is also focused on locating and interviewing living individuals who may have had significant sightings or knowledge of the bureaucracy surrounding UFO reports. Harry Turner, a former JIB employee, and a former Woomera UFO witness have already been interviewed. The project seeks assistance in identifying other potential witnesses.

Regarding lobbying efforts, the project suggests that lobbying is most effective during a strong UFO event and should target the government department responsible for UFO investigations. Currently, no single department holds this brief. A general lobbying campaign targeting departments like CSIRO, Department of Science, and the Prime Minister's Department is considered, but without a specific focus or a Parliamentarian with a personal interest, the expense is deemed not worthwhile at this moment. The priority remains pursuing still living witnesses.

Past Newsletters

An archive of all previous Newsletters is available on the project website at http://disclosureaustralia.freewebpages.org. These newsletters have covered topics such as the roles of CSIRO, Department of Supply, Department of Civil Aviation, and the RAAF in the UFO phenomenon, as well as the Valentich case and potential cover-ups.

Australian UFO Research Association (AURA) meetings in Adelaide

AURA has been revitalized in Adelaide under the facilitation of Jeff Fausch. A business meeting in July established a future direction, and AURA will continue to be the South Australian link in AUFORN's UFO hotline and investigate local reports. AURA can be contacted via email at [email protected] or PO Box 786, North Adelaide, Sth Aust 5006. AURA will continue to drive the Disclosure Australia Project, facilitated by Keith Basterfield and Dominic McNamara.

Contacting the Secretariat

Information that would assist the Project is welcomed. Contact details for Disclosure Australia are PO Box 783, Jimboomba 4280, with the email address [email protected].

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the systematic investigation of government UFO files, the challenges in accessing and analyzing this information, and the importance of witness testimony. The editorial stance appears to be one of persistent inquiry, aiming to uncover factual information about UFO phenomena through diligent research and the examination of official records. There is a clear emphasis on the historical aspect of UFO investigations within Australia, particularly concerning RAAF activities. The newsletter also highlights the collaborative efforts of various UFO research organizations and the ongoing pursuit of information from both official archives and living witnesses.