TUFOIC Newsletter - No 050 - 1987

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO TASMANIA
Issue: 50
Volume: 1987
Date: 1987
Publisher: T.U.F.O.I.C. (Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre)
Country: Australia
Language: English
Price: $1.00

This issue of UFO Tasmania, dated 1987, is Edition 50 and is published by the Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre (TUFOIC). The cover features the title 'UFO TASMANIA' prominently, along with two pixelated images of flying saucers and the year 1987. The main headline on the cover is 'TASMANIAN U.F.O. INVESTIGATION CENTRE'. The magazine details various UFO sightings and investigations primarily from 1986, with some historical context.

Editorial and Organizational Information

The T.U.F.O.I.C. Executive for 1987 included Ron Jolly as President, Paul Jackson as Secretary/Liaison, and Keith Roberts managing Investigation/Files. Janine Hunt was responsible for the Library. The centre had Area Representatives across Tasmania: Don MacSween for Northern Tasmania, Colin Fletcher for the East Coast, and Jenny Lyne for the South-East. Correspondence was to be directed to TUFOIC, P.O. Box 99, North Hobart, Tasmania, 7002. Sightings telephone numbers were listed as 23 6009 or 25 4054 (area code 002).

Meeting dates for 1987 were scheduled for the first Thursday of March, June, and September, with the December meeting to be a B-B-Q. Meetings were held at 7 p.m. at the Freemasons Hotel, Harrington St., Hobart. The ISSN for UFO Tasmania is 0158-0590.

TUFOIC is a member organization of the Australian Centre for UFO Studies (ACUFOS). The centre was founded in 1965. The aims of TUFOIC are to conduct investigations into Tasmanian sightings, collect and disseminate evidence and data relating to UFO phenomena, and to cooperate with organizations engaged in similar research. Membership is open to all who support these aims.

Statistics and Reports (1965-1986)

The magazine provides statistics on unidentified reports and investigations from 1965 to 1986. The number of unidentified reports varied significantly year by year, with peaks in the mid-1970s and early 1980s. For instance, 1970 saw 45 unidentified reports, while 1975 had 182. The year 1986 recorded 81 total investigations, with 7 unidentified and 1 classified as insufficient information/investigating. Other categories included Astronomical (1), Aircraft (12), Satellites (16), Balloons (2), and Others (8).

Sightings '86

The 'Sightings '86' section details various UFO reports from the past twelve months, noting that the period was generally disappointing for UFO reports, reflecting a similar trend globally. Despite this, several cases are presented:

• TA 86005 (3/2/86, 04:00, Lenah Valley): A witness reported two disc-like white lights, half moon sized, joined by struts, with flashing lights, hovering for 30 minutes.
• TA 86021 (4/4/86, 20:20, Lauderdale): A moving light was observed to move erratically for a few seconds before disappearing towards Mt Wellington.
• Ball Lightning Shatters Windscreen: A report from the UK's Ball Lightning Newsletter describes a British case from April 4 or 5, 1985, where a red spherical ball of fire shattered a vehicle windscreen.
• TA 86025 (13/4/86, 02:30, Mangana): A witness saw a line of orange/blue/green pulsating lights over the hills that suddenly moved east.
• TA 86078 (27/4/86, 06:00, Mangana): The same witness reported a rotating circular object with oscillating lights, car-sized, which accelerated east at great speed.
• TA 86037 (25/4/86, 20:35, Launceston): Four objects were seen moving from the south-east, turning south-west, with one object moving off independently.
• TA 86051 (29/5/86, 06:15, Swansea): Two bright lights were observed, one of which moved south and gained elevation before receding west.
• TA 86059 (3/8/86, 19:30, Huon Valley): Multiple witnesses saw a large, orange, round object with lights below, which moved west and then paced a car.

Have THEY landed in Dandenong?

This section recounts a sighting by Jim Lowen in Dandenong on Wednesday, August 6, 1986, at 9 pm. He reported seeing a long row of amber-colored lights travelling in a line in the southern sky. He claimed to have witnesses and contacted television channels and the police. A policeman reportedly suggested the lights were part of the Southern Cross, which Mr. Lowen disputed.

George Town Case Book

This extensive section details historical UFO sightings in the Georgetown area of Tasmania:

• Cressy (October 1960): An early sighting flap.
• Gladstone (1974), Lake Sorell (1976), Maydena (1977): Other localized sighting bursts.
• Georgetown (1982): A series of lights and possible related sounds were observed.

Specific cases detailed include:

• January 1958 (West Arm): A woman and her husband on a houseboat saw an orange roundball, then experienced a red light and pressure, followed by the object swooping inland.
• November 15th, 1960 (Tamar Valley): A USAF JB57 aircraft encountered a UFO described as a translucent, fuzzy object, about 70ft in diameter, closing at high speed.
• February 22nd, 1966 (Hillwood): Two witnesses saw an oval shape with a brilliant light below, which floated for half an hour before four red lights appeared.
• April 25th, 1972 (George Town): Nine residents reported a bright orange object spinning and tumbling, moving north-west and disappearing over Hebe Reef.
• 1978 (George Town): A star-like light made unusual direction changes before moving vertically and then disappearing.
• November 29th, 1978 (George Town): Two bright silver lights were seen travelling north-east, then veering left and disappearing north.
• August 29th, 1979 (10 pm): A possible radar visual sighting by the First Mate of a trading vessel, observing hovering lights for twenty minutes.
• 1980s (Georgetown): A run of sightings in 1982, with an earlier report from winter 1981 involving a glow and oscillating lights near Lefroy.
• Winter 1981 (George Town): A semi-circular area of light with oscillating lights on its upper edge was observed stationary at treetop level.
• 1982 (George Town): A series of events involving a red nocturnal light and a possible related sound, recorded on three occasions. Mrs R reported her house being lit up by an external light, and a loud noise from the park area. Further recordings of the noise were made.
• May Sightings (George Town): A string of reports from May 8th, 11th, 13th, 17th, and 20th, featuring lights and associated sounds. A large red ball light was observed moving erratically, sometimes vanishing mid-air. A third tape recording of a sound possibly associated with a red light was made in September.
• July 24th, 1984 (Greens Beach): An unusual shaped cloud was seen to halt above hills and reveal a dark elliptical object, described as cigar-like with its own cloud.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently emphasizes the importance of investigation and data collection regarding UFO phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into unexplained aerial events, seeking to rule out conventional explanations through checks with astronomical societies, the RAAF, and other authorities. The publication highlights the challenges of obtaining reliable witness accounts and the reluctance of some individuals to report sightings due to fear of ridicule. The recurring theme is the persistent occurrence of unexplained aerial phenomena in Tasmania, often involving lights, unusual shapes, and sometimes associated sounds or electromagnetic effects. The magazine aims to document these events systematically and provide a platform for discussion and research within the UFO community.

Title: AUSTRALIAN REPORTS
Issue: 1986
Publisher: TUFOIC PUBLICATIONS
Country: Australia
Language: English
Document Type: Magazine Issue

Cover Story: "TOURISTS MONSTER NIGHTMARE"

The cover of this 1986 issue of Australian Reports features a prominent headline "TOURISTS MONSTER NIGHTMARE" accompanied by a cartoon illustration of a large, hairy, ape-like creature. The artwork is captioned "EBK MONSTER" and poses the question "WHERE DEAR?", with a small inset map indicating Lake Dulverton. This suggests the lead story focuses on a creature sighting in Tasmania.

Article: "Something strange and silvery and looking like an ape"

This article, by Yasmin Boland, details an encounter by a Victorian couple, Bill Johnstone and Stella Donohue, near Lake Dulverton, Tasmania. The couple, who were forced to camp overnight due to a punctured tyre, reported seeing a creature approximately 2.5 metres tall and hairy, standing in the water about 18 metres from the shore. Stella Donohue described it as "some strange thing" that moved with "lumbering steps" and was "silvery" and "looked something like an ape." Bill Johnstone corroborated the sighting, noting what appeared to be a hairy body and large shoulders. The creature reportedly started moving towards them, causing the couple to flee in their car. The car initially had trouble starting, adding to their distress. They spent the night in a local side street. The next morning, they found their tent and camping gear untouched. Locals told them a man had died there and that two sisters had also claimed to see something but were too embarrassed to talk about it. The couple left Tasmania with lingering questions about the nature of the sighting, with Stella remarking, "That peaceful lake now seems like a dangerous sacred site."

Article: "Close encounter of the eerie kind"

This article reports on two separate incidents involving Capt. Kenjyu Terauchi, a Japan Air Lines pilot. The first incident, in November, involved his cargo jet being shadowed by a huge UFO over Alaska. The second incident occurred yesterday morning while on a flight from London to Anchorage. Terauchi and his co-pilot reported seeing "irregular lights, looks like a spaceship." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suggested the lights might be reflections off ice crystals. Terauchi stated that in both sightings, the lights approached from the front of the Boeing 747, went beneath the aircraft, and reappeared to the rear. The November sighting was detected on the plane's weather radar, but yesterday's was not. The article also notes that both sightings were near Fort Yukon, but had few other similarities.

UFO Sightings Compilation (Page 2)

Page 2 presents a table of UFO sightings from various Australian states in 1986. Notable entries include:

• Sep 1, WA: Blue flashg lits nr ground, oval object.
• Sep 2, SA: Dogs barking, oval blue/yellow lits.
• Oct 1, WA: Y/B/R, zig-zagging in sky.
• Oct 20, Qld: Blue/green lit + noise, car looses power.
• Oct 21, Qld: Circles of lit in clouds, suggested to be searchlights.

The text notes that information for November and December was not yet available and that while the sightings share features with those reported previously in Australia and overseas, the details cannot be confirmed.

Case Study: QB86-001

Date: 18 Nov 85
Location: nr Ingham, Queensland
Description: A sugar-cane farmer reported seeing a silver, cigar-shaped object without wings or tail, comparable in size to a Jumbo jet. It travelled in a straight line from E to SSE until it disappeared. Press reports indicated three other witnesses independently observed the same or similar object.

Case Study: QB86-002

Date: 20 Oct 86
Location: Green Hill, Queensland
Description: A single witness reported that her vehicle's steering became hard to control, and the dash and headlights almost faded out, accompanied by a buzzing sound and loss of engine power. She observed a bright, oval, blue-green light moving slowly N at 15° elevation. After crossing a bridge, the vehicle "suddenly took off," lights returned, the buzzing stopped, and steering was regained. The UFO was lost sight of shortly after. The incident lasted 5-10 minutes, leaving the witness frightened with red hands from gripping the steering wheel.

Case Study: QB86-003

Date: 22 Sep 86
Location: nr Edmonton, Queensland
Description: The same vehicle as in QB86-002 was involved when a father and son observed a round, "bright green light" over the road that moved in a downward trajectory toward a cane field and appeared to land. The witnesses drove on, and the father found no trace or crop damage the next day. Three weeks earlier, four circular marks had been found in the crop near this site, but the investigator concluded they were caused by wind damage.

TUFOIC PUBLICATIONS Information (Page 4)

This section details publications and services offered by TUFOIC (Tasmanian UFO Computer Catalogue). These include:

• TASCAT 1987: A catalogue of over 400 Tasmanian Unidentifieds ($2.50).
• Tasmanian Landings Catalogue - Second Edition: Details of ground-level sightings ($2.50).
• Maatsuyker Island Document: Details of sightings from a lighthouse island ($2.00).
• UFO Tasmania Magazines: 1978 to 1986: A 9-issue set ($6.00), with single editions available for $1.00.
• TUFOIC Computer Printouts: Available for specific sighting details ($1.00).
• North-East 1974 Document: Details of the 1974 Tasmanian flap ($2.00).

All prices include return postage via surface mail; overseas air mail rates are available on request. TUFOIC describes itself as a "serious minded civilian organisation" that investigates UFO reports scientifically and objectively, drawing no conclusions other than the existence of an unexplained phenomenon. Authentic reports are forwarded to ACUFOS for further research. TUFOIC is based in Hobart and maintains contact with other UFO groups globally.

Membership and subscription rates are provided:

• Australia: Full membership ($4.00), Publications only ($3.00).
• Overseas (publications only): Air mail rate ($5.00), Surface mail ($4.00).

Payment options include money order or bank cheque for Australia, and international money order for overseas.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, unexplained aerial phenomena, and creature encounters, with a particular focus on Australian cases. The editorial stance, as presented by TUFOIC, is one of scientific, objective, and unbiased investigation. The organization aims to gather and disseminate reliable information about the UFO phenomenon without drawing premature conclusions, emphasizing the need for further research into what they acknowledge as an "unexplained phenomena."