TUFOIC Newsletter - No 099 - February 2006

Magazine Overview

Title: TUFOIC NEWSLETTER
Issue: Edition 99
Date: February 2006
Publisher: TUFOIC (Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre)
Country: Australia
Language: English

This issue of the TUFOIC Newsletter provides a review of UFO activity in Tasmania during 2005, a year that also marked the 40th anniversary of the Centre's founding. The newsletter details numerous specific sightings, provides statistical data, and discusses the Centre's operations and challenges.

Year in Review 2005

The Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre celebrated 40 years of operation in 2005. The year saw a significant number of sightings reported to the Centre, with the Melton Mowbray sighting in February being highlighted as a particularly noteworthy case due to the thorough investigation, data collected, and the perplexing nature of the incident. Other supporting events occurred at Brinktop Reserve, Mangalore, Otago Bay, and Port Sorell, keeping the subject in the media spotlight. The coverage in local press and radio was deemed accurate and helpful. However, a concern was raised about the alteration of details of sightings on UFO websites, questioning the accuracy of online information.

The newsletter also addresses the recurring issue of 'orange lights,' which appeared from Burnie to Hobart. One witness in Devonport chased an orange light that fell as a burning bag. In Hobart, witnesses remained unconvinced by explanations for orange lights observed on an August night, which were later revealed to be a display of six 'balloons' launched by tricksters. The press failed to clarify the explanation, leading to internet reports of a 'lights flap' over Hobart.

TUFOIC Operations and Statistics

Membership of the Centre remained stable, with a few new members joining and a few leaving. The Centre held five meetings during the year, which were sparsely attended, a trend believed to be common in similar organizations. Due to limited numbers, the Centre cannot organize large events like conferences or seminars. General public interest in the UFO subject remains good, but the Centre is considering revising its strategy for disseminating information, acknowledging that people can access information from home without attending physical meetings.

The excitement of UFO activity in the first half of 2005 had subsided, and the Centre speculated on the level of activity for 2006. The newsletter notes that governments in Brazil, Spain, and Mexico have released UFO information, but expresses skepticism about similar actions from Australian politicians.

• TUFOIC Statistics 2005:
• Unidentified: 17
• Astronomical: 37
• Aircraft: 15
• Satellites: 10
• Balloon Hoaxes: 26
• Others: 27
• TOTAL: 132

The Centre's contact details are provided: P.O. Box 174, South Hobart, Tasmania, 7004. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.geocities.com/tufoic/. Telephone: 03 62236009. The executive members are listed as Janis Burns (President), Keith Roberts (Secretary), and Ray Thomas (Librarian).

• Objectives of TUFOIC:
• To investigate Tasmanian UFO reports.
• To publish details of UFO reports and maintain a UFO database.
• To distribute authentic information to members and fellow UFO organisations.

Membership is open to all who support the Centre's aims.

Tasmanian Sightings - 2005

The newsletter details numerous specific sightings from Tasmania in 2005:

• February 15, 2am, Native Corners: Witness saw a brilliant half-moon width light with a red tinge, surrounded by a glow, just above the hills. The light was also noted by her sister.
• February 28, 3.34am, Swansea: Witness observed a line of blue, red, and other flashing lights over open country to the south-west. The lights moved away in quick jerks.
• March 1, 9.15pm, Campania: Witness saw lights resembling a plane coming down a gully, which disappeared and then reappeared, crossing the same gully.
• March 14, 4.14am, Woodbridge: Witness observed two bright white-greenish lights above a dip in the hills to the south-east. The lights suddenly went down behind the hills.
• April 15, 11.35am, Bradys Look Out: Witness saw a bright spherical metallic shape with a reflective halo over the Tamar River. The object was observed for a short time before vanishing.
• April 27, 5.20am, Otago Bay: Witness saw a slow bright flashing blue light and a metallic spherical shape with two black areas (windows?) moving over a house.
• May 4, 10am, Squeaking Point: Witness observed a silent grey bullet-shaped object over the water, which vanished mid-air. Local inquiries and checks proved negative.
• May 8, 6am, West Takone: Witness saw a bright silver object with a rounded top and flat base, hovering above the trees.
• June 13th, 9.30pm, Burnie: Witness saw a grey hexagonal shape emerge from clouds, from which two bright orange discs shot off to the south-west.
• August 12th, 9.55pm, Bust-me-Gall Hill: Motorist observed a flat shape about 6-8 metres across with a red light on the left and a blue light on the right, stationary over a hill.

Tasmanian Sightings - Historical

The newsletter also includes historical sightings:

• 1976 Winter, 2am, South Hobart: Witness saw a sphere of lights bouncing along slowly north, with lights falling from it.
• 1978 Summer, 5.30am, Granton: Witness saw a black triangle shape over the Derwent River, moving slowly north before speeding up and disappearing.
• 2002 Spring, 10pm, Melton Mowbray: Two witnesses saw a red light in the northern sky, which led to observing an oval object emerging from a cloud, with a ring of white lights and a green glow.
• About March 2002, 4.30pm, West Launceston: A mist area formed and developed into a giant blank TV screen, described as possibly paranormal.
• 2004 January 23, 2.30am, Near Forth: Witness saw a large bright eye-shaped object travelling west over a paddock at crawling speed.
• 2004 March, 2am, Plenty: Witness saw a greyish oval shape with flashing green lights around its base, which moved north and disappeared.
• 2004 May 27, 8pm, Poatina: Family observed a steady brilliant white light that moved west, then east, then vertically before vanishing.
• 2004 July, 6.30pm, Nunamara: Witness saw a bright light on a metal oval with red, blue, and other lights, which was stationary over paddocks and then vanished mid-air.
• 2004 August, 2.30am, Scottsdale: Witness saw a silent silver oval, about half-moon sized, with a band of light and lights around its centre, moving south then north-west.
• 2004 December 25, 9.30pm, Molesworth: Group of witnesses observed a star-like light approaching, travelling across the sky, stopping, and disappearing, repeating this performance multiple times.
• 2004 December 28th, 12.10am, Brinktop Road: Witness saw a bright white light which moved quickly towards the car, became stationary, shone a beam on the car, and then vanished.
• 2005 January 18th, 12.30am, Elderslie Road: Witness saw a football-sized green light with a tail, which disappeared and reappeared, eventually doing a U-turn and shooting into the sky.
• 2005 January 26, 4.30am, Legana: Two witnesses saw a yellow and bright object, described as cylindrical with a band of white light above and a red band below, which moved northwards, sometimes hovering.
• February 14, 12.10am, Melton Mowbray: Three women saw a distant light approach their vehicle, growing to a football shape with pulsing red and blue lights. The object was estimated at 8-10m wide, shining a beam down into a paddock, and moved away slowly.
• February 14, 9pm, Epping Forest: Witness saw a large bright white light in a paddock alongside the road, estimated at 2m wide, which vanished after 30 seconds.
• February 14, 11.45pm, Rekuna: Witness saw a large area of brilliant light on or just behind a hill, which seemed to be further away on a second look.
• February 14, near Midnight, Mangalore: A family saw lights that looked like an aircraft, moving across the road, hovering, and then overtaking them. The lights had a capital 'I' pattern with red and yellow/white lights.
• February 15, 1.45am, Millvale: Witness saw a huge bright white light over Laskeys Hill, with a beam below lighting up the hillside. The light shot off towards Campania.

Publications

The newsletter also lists several TUFOIC publications available for purchase:

• TASMANIAN U.F.O. SIGHTINGS CATALOGUE TASCAT 2000: $3.00 (register of over 500 cases).
• TASMANIAN UFO LANDINGS CATALOGUE - Fourth Edition (2000): $3.00 (compilation of UFOs seen on or near ground level).
• CRESSY DOCUMENT: $3.00 (details a significant UFO sighting in Cressy).
• MAATSUYKER ISLAND DOCUMENT: $3.00 (details UFO reports from the lighthouse island).
• NORTH-EAST TASMANIA - 1974 DOCUMENT: $3.00 (details the largest UFO flap in Tasmania).
• UFO TASMANIA: The TUFOIC Annual Report. Various single editions are available at $1.00.
• MYSTERIOUS MELODALE: $3.00 (details strange paranormal events over years).

All prices include return postage (surface mail). Overseas Air Mail rates are available on request.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed documentation of UFO sightings, the analysis of these sightings by the TUFOIC, and a general review of UFO activity over the past year. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent investigation and reporting, with a critical eye towards the accuracy of information disseminated online and a pragmatic approach to the challenges of public engagement and the persistent, often unexplained, phenomena like 'orange lights'. The Centre emphasizes its role in collecting and publishing authentic information, while acknowledging the cyclical nature of public interest and UFO activity.