TUFOIC Newsletter - No 056 - October 1988

Magazine Overview

This issue of the TUFOIC NEWSLETTER, dated October 1988 (Publication - 56), focuses on "A TASMANIAN CONNECTION" to UFO events, exploring how sightings in Tasmania might be linked to a significant incident on the Nullarbor Plain.

A Tasmanian Connection

The lead article details how Tasmania has had its share of UFO events, but two sightings by Tasmanians at the time of the well-publicized Nullarbor events of January 20th have come as a surprise. One witness was travelling across the Nullarbor hours ahead of the main witnesses, and the second report comes from a Tasmanian yacht off the New South Wales Coast.

The Nullarbor sighting, which garnered significant media attention, involved conflicting facts and rapid explanations. Investigation by UFO groups was hampered by an exclusive deal between Channel 7 and the witnesses. The incident occurred about 40km west of Mundrabilla on the West Australian Nullarbor. Fay Knowles and her three adult sons saw a light approach their vehicle. The driver made U-turns, swerved to avoid an oncoming car, and then experienced a "spongy substance" on the roof. A "greyish-black mist" entered the car, and they believed an object landed on the roof, lifted the car, and dropped it, bursting a tyre. A humming sound was heard, their voices slowed, and a smell like "dead bodies" was present. After the object departed, they changed the tyre and continued east.

The Australian Mineral Development Laboratory in Adelaide examined the car. They found three shallow dents on the roof, consistent with an object being pressed into it. Dust analysis revealed major concentrations of iron oxide, silicon, crystalline magnetite, and brass, consistent with dust from wearing brake pads. The tyre damage was consistent with running on a deflated tyre.

A Tasmanian event linked to the Mundrabilla case was a December 14th encounter near Launceston, where a sooty deposit was reported on a car, though it was likely bitumen.

U.F.O. Encounter? Coaster another victim.

This section details a report from The Advocate (Burnie) about a man who experienced car trouble and saw bright lights while crossing the Nullarbor just three hours before the Knowles report. This individual was travelling along the Eyre Highway between Fenong and Ceduna early on January 20th when he heard a loud thump from above. He then saw a series of white flashing lights for about 15 minutes. The vehicle was simultaneously buffeted by near gale-force winds that shook parts off the roof and bent the aerial. The wind lasted for about an hour, blowing the vehicle all over the road. He woke his girlfriend, and they continued driving, stopping only to refuel. They spoke to two German tourists who claimed to have been asleep at the time. Upon reaching Adelaide, he related the incident to his uncle, who mentioned another sighting around the same time. He initially dismissed it but started wondering after seeing it on TV. He only considered UFOs after his uncle mentioned it. The other sighting occurred on the Nullarbor Plain near Mundrabilla, where a family reported a light object that picked their car up, shook it, blew out a tyre, showered the vehicle with ash, and disappeared. These two incidents were about 380km apart, with about three hours between them, the Mundrabilla incident occurring at 5:30 am. The witness was unsure if it was a UFO or meteorites, mentioning the Woomera range nearby.

During the sighting, the witness's car lost power and would not exceed 70kph. The lights appeared as a row of steady white beams. When the beams disappeared, the car regained normal power, and the buffeting stopped.

CE2 6 Oct 87 Haifa, Israel

An Israeli motorist claimed to have seen a UFO land south of Haifa. Police officers accompanied him to the location and found an 8m diameter spot where beach sand and vegetation had been "carbonised".

Tasmanian Connection Contd.

This section continues the report on the Tasmanian sightings. Another event occurred on the night of January 20/21st off the New South Wales coast, involving witnesses on a Tasmanian yacht in the Tall Ships Race from Hobart to Sydney, near the Beecroft Peninsula. Conditions were overcast with a north-east wind and rough seas.

Initially, a white light was seen to the stern, assumed to be an aircraft or helicopter. It stopped moving about 20-30m above the sea, brightened, then dimmed and went out. A second light appeared with a perimeter of small white lights that changed to red and dropped into the water, while the parent light moved away at speed. A third light appeared on the starboard bow, remained steady for 10 minutes, and then moved abeam. A beam of light was visible on the water. Finally, a red light appeared off the port bow, about 10 boatlengths away. This light maintained its position even when the yacht turned 360 degrees. It was in front of the yacht for about 1.5 hours before disappearing at 3 am. Suddenly, a bright white light appeared above the red light for about 5 seconds, after which both disappeared. During the sightings, the vessel experienced static electricity, causing sparks from the steering wheel. The next day, stainless steel fittings and deckplate were covered in red rust, which was difficult to remove. The owner, experienced in ocean sailing, had never encountered anything like it and could not find an explanation. No samples of the rust were taken.

NL 27 Mar 88 Nasinu, Fiji

Schoolboy Nitin Roynand and friend Vishal Manoa saw a light in the sky that changed colour from gold to green to brown and back to gold as it moved slowly south. The circular object had a shining halo and was visible for about 20 minutes before disappearing, leaving a yellow light trail.

MEANWHILE IN TASMANIA

This section reports on other early sightings in Tasmania, noting that the rush has eased to about one a month, still above recent years' activity.

• June 20th: Near Launceston, a witness saw an oval mass of white light with a blue light spinning beneath it, which then shot up into the cloud.
• July 5th (9:45 pm): At Dodges Ferry, a lone witness saw a luminous green shaped cone drift across his field of view.
• July 28th (3 am): At Glenorchy, a witness heard a humming noise and saw a yellow light enter the house from outside. The backyard was lit up by a light from above.
• August 9th: On the West Coast, several Hydro Electric workers spotted an oval green object with a bright beam below. It moved behind Mt Jukes, came up again, let off three red tracer lights, and moved back behind the mountain.
• July 24th: Near Evandale, a round yellow light possibly paced a car.
• September 14th: At Oatlands, a circle of lights was seen over the town.
• September 5th: At Turners Marsh, a quarter moon light was reported to have come down over Mt Arthur.

The News, May 18, 1988 - UFO seen on the run

Runners in the Darwin-to-Adelaide record attempt claimed they saw a bright green 2m UFO outside Coober Pedy. Three people, including a nurse and two runners, saw the object hovering above bushes for a few seconds before disappearing. The coach noted the nurse was visibly shaken, but another runner suggested it might have been a local prank.

EXAMINER, Friday, August 5, 1988 - St Helens school classroom lit up by lightning fireball

A blue light, described as a lightning fireball, struck several buildings in St Helens, cutting off communications. Damage to Telecom lines was expected to cost several thousand dollars. The fireball struck the wharf, rolled up the street, and several bolts struck out. It struck a manhole cover and welded the lid. Lightning penetrated underground cables, cutting off at least 100 subscribers, including the fire brigade, police, and hospital. The lightning also travelled along cables, cutting telephone lines to several areas. The St Helens District High School, hospital, retirement home, and telephone exchange building were affected. The school building sustained minor roof damage. Some people were still reporting telephone difficulties, and workmen were repairing damage.

Hint of other Earths

BALTIMORE - US and Canadian astronomers have found 10 planet-like objects orbiting distant stars, intensifying speculation about extraterrestrial life. Astronomers from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory reported finding a large planet orbiting a star 90 light years away. An independent study found evidence of planets orbiting nine stars, suggesting many stars in the Milky Way might have planetary companions. Bruce Campbell of the Canadian team interpreted this as a sign that Earth-like planets suitable for life might be common, though he stressed there was no direct evidence. David Latham of the Smithsonian team noted that it makes speculation easier than a few years ago when zero planetary candidates were known. He mentioned a planet-like object 20 times the size of Jupiter orbiting star HD 114762 very closely, making it extremely hot.

The News, Tuesday, February 9, 1988 - Noisy UFO 'buzzes' UK police station

LONDON: Police officers at Ecclesfield Police Station near Sheffield heard engine droning above the station. PC Susan Jackson saw a V-shaped craft hovering nearby with red flashing lights. PC John Boam also spotted the object. Officers on duty heard a motor whirring overhead and checked with RAF Finningley, but nothing showed on radar.

The News, Jan. 27, 1988 - On the büter after encounter

LONDON: A policeman, Alan Godfrey, claims a close encounter with creatures from outer space eight years prior cost him his job. He saw a diamond-shaped UFO hovering, was beamed up into the spaceship, and interacted with robots. He believes authorities tried to hush it up.

TUFOIC PUBLICATIONS

The newsletter lists several publications available for purchase, including:

• TASMANIAN U.F.O. COMPUTER CATALOGUE - TASCAT 1987 ($2.50)
• TASMANIAN LANDINGS CATALOGUE - Second Edition ($2.50)
• MAATSUYKER ISLAND DOCUMENT ($2.00)
• UFO TASMANIA Magazines: 1978 to 1988 (10 issue set) ($7.00), single editions ($1.00)
• NORTH-EAST 1974 Document ($2.00)

Prices include return postage (surface mail), with overseas air mail rates available on request.

TUFOIC MEETING NOTICE

A notice for a TUFOIC meeting on Thursday, 6th October 1988, starting at 7:30 PM at the DERWENT REGIONAL LIBRARY, Room 1, Terry St. Glenorchy. Coffee and biscuits will be provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, particularly those with physical trace evidence or unusual effects on witnesses and their environment. The newsletter adopts a stance of documenting and investigating these phenomena, presenting witness accounts and scientific analysis where available. There is a clear focus on connecting seemingly disparate events, such as the Tasmanian sightings to the Nullarbor incident, suggesting a broader pattern. The inclusion of international reports indicates a global interest in UFO phenomena. The publication also serves as a promotional tool for TUFOIC's own research materials and meetings, encouraging further engagement with the subject.