Disclosure Australia (AURA) - No 29 - Sep 2006

Magazine Overview

Title: DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA
Issue: NEWSLETTER TWENTY-NINE
Date: SEPTEMBER 2006
Publisher: DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA
Country: Australia

This issue of Disclosure Australia delves into several key UFO-related topics, with a primary focus on the Gundiah, Queensland abduction case and the subsequent Freedom of Information (FOI) request. It also provides an update on the RAAF's historical involvement with Unidentified Aerial Sightings (UAS) and details various government files uncovered by the project.

The Gundiah Queensland Abduction Report FOI Request

The newsletter details an extraordinary abduction report from Gundiah, Queensland, in October 2001, involving Amy Rylance. She was reportedly carried head first through a window and abducted, with her husband Keith Rylance reporting the incident to Queensland police. While police were present, Amy reportedly turned up in Mackay, 800kms away, distressed and dehydrated. An investigation by Di Frola and Bill Chalker on behalf of AUFORN was widely distributed. However, journalist Kevin Corcoran of the 'Fraser Coast Chronicle' noted that 12 months after the event, the farm was deserted and the Rylances had left the country. Acting Sergeant Robert Maragna of the Tiaro police expressed strong suspicion that the event was an 'elaborate hoax'.

Following success with the Federal FOI Act, the project utilized the Queensland FOI Act to obtain police investigation documents concerning Amy Rylance's alleged abduction. The Queensland Police Service responded that nine documents were located but were exempted from release under section 44(1) of the Act, pertaining to the 'personal affairs' of a person other than the applicant.

Department of Defence and RAAF UFO Investigations

The newsletter includes a letter from the Project to Robert Hill, then Minister for Defence, inquiring about the handling of Unusual Aerial Sightings (UAS) reports. It outlines that until 1994, the Department of Defence (DOD) was responsible for collecting and analyzing such reports. After 1994, the DOD ceased this function, referring public reports to civilian UFO research organizations. The current DOD website directs public inquiries to local police or civilian UFO research groups.

The Project's letter posed several questions regarding reports from DOD members, airline crew, and air traffic controllers, and whether any scientific research into UAS had been conducted by the DOD. The response from the Minister indicated that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) formerly investigated UAS but ceased this function due to a determination that the evidence did not warrant the allocation of resources. The Defence Department stated it does not accept UAS reports but directs them to local authorities or civilian organizations, and that it does not maintain records on UAS or conduct scientific research into the subject.

The Westall Incident and Government Files

The issue also touches upon the 6 April 1966 incident at Westall, a Melbourne suburb, noting the reported presence of uniformed men, possibly RAAF, at the scene. Shane Ryan is leading a re-investigation of this event. While State Police forces historically assisted the RAAF in UFO investigations, a search of Commonwealth Police files for 1966 revealed no documents relating to Westall, which the project finds puzzling.

RAAF File J63/25 and Notable Sightings

Ninety-six pages from RAAF file J63/25 have been released, containing numerous nocturnal light observations and intriguing reports. Two specific incidents are detailed:

• March 22, 1975: Near Nebo, Queensland, five young people reported a disk-shaped object with purple rings and lights, accompanied by a loud bang. Police and RAAF investigated physical marks at the scene, including a large round shape and three half-moon marks.
• August 30, 1975: A RAAF Neptune aircraft pilot and co-pilot sighted three white lights moving horizontally, which appeared to approach the aircraft, causing the pilot to bank away, fearing a collision. The lights were not detected by radar.

Uncovered Government UFO Files and Project Interviews

Attachment one to the newsletter provides a full listing of Australian Government UFO files uncovered by the Project, sourced from various federal departments. The Project has spent considerable time preparing page-by-page summaries of these files, with master sets kept by Keith Basterfield and Dominic McNamara. Requests for electronic copies of summaries can be directed to [email protected].

The Project is also seeking to interview individuals involved in significant sightings. A classic Australian case from 1954 involving Navy pilot Shamus O'Farrell is mentioned, with two Navy files located in the Archives. File MP926/1 details 'Unidentified Objects (Flying Saucers sighted by Navy Pilot over Goulburn)' and consists of 19 pages, including minute papers, drafts, and newspaper clippings from December 1954. File SP338/3, titled 'Unidentified objects [flying-report of]', located in Sydney, consists of 10 pages and includes reports from a radar operator and pilots.

The Project is currently in the process of negotiating an interview with O'Farrell.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the pursuit of information through FOI requests, the historical documentation of UFO/UAP sightings in Australia, and the official government stance on these phenomena. Disclosure Australia appears to advocate for transparency and the investigation of unexplained aerial phenomena, highlighting the challenges in obtaining official records and the importance of independent research and witness accounts. The editorial stance is one of diligent archival research and public dissemination of findings, encouraging reader participation in ongoing investigations.