Students and teachers report silver objects near Westall High School, Melbourne
April 6, 1966 · Westall High School and The Grange, Clayton, Victoria · Sighting · Secondary sources only
At about 10:15 am on 6 April 1966, during morning recess, students and teachers at Westall High School in Melbourne's south-east reported a silver or grey, domed object above pine trees near the school, with several light aircraft, mostly Cessnas, said to be circling it. Science teacher Andrew Greenwood gave one of the most detailed descriptions. The Royal Australian Air Force said it had no aircraft in the area. The Bureau of Meteorology said a weather balloon with a radar reflector and radiosonde had been released from Laverton that morning, and The Age of 7 April 1966 reported that the object was perhaps a balloon.
Why it matters (3/5)
A well-known Australian case with many witnesses; the official explanation is disputed and no government file is cited.
Caveats
Accounts differ on the number of objects, the timing and the evidence of a landing, and critics say the balloon explanation does not fit the reported speed and sudden movements. The school limited interviews at the time, and later accounts, many given decades afterward, add details that these sources do not corroborate. Neither source cites an RAAF or Department of Air file, and no such file was opened.
Sources
- Strange lights in the sky: the Westall UFO event, 1966 (State Library Victoria), context
- Westall High School, 6 April 1966 (Basterfield catalogue entry) (Keith Basterfield (Project 1947)), context