Claim

A craft of unknown origin came down near Westall High School in Melbourne in April 1966, watched by some 200 students and teachers

Also known as Westall claim

Open. No official investigation was ever published; sceptics propose a weather balloon or a stray HIBAL research balloon, which the witnesses say looked nothing like what they saw. (Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story)

On 6 April 1966 pupils and staff at two schools in Clayton South, near RAAF Laverton, said a silvery object descended, hovered over a paddock and flew off, followed by aircraft. Witnesses say officials told them not to talk about it.

Who has said it, in order

  1. 6 April 1966 — says so, relayed: More than 200 students and teachers at Westall High School and the neighbouring Grange saw a silver, metallic object descend, hover near a grassy field, then leave quickly. The schools are close to RAAF Laverton. Source: Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story at 15:05
  2. 6 September 2021 Andrew Greenwood — says so, first-hand: Greenwood recalls teaching a Year 9 science class when a pupil burst in: “Mr Greenwood, there’s a flying saucer!” Source: The UFO Phenomenon | Full Documentary 2021 | 7NEWS Spotlight at 46:42
  3. 7 April 2026 — says so, first-hand: Witnesses describe a large, circular, silver object, perhaps 1,000 feet up, with no wings, moving at great speed; some saw one, others two or three. Source: Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story at 5:44
  4. 7 April 2026 — disputes it, opinion: The Age reported the next day that a weather balloon had been launched in Melbourne that morning. A sceptic calls it a likely candidate under Occam's razor; a researcher says the reported winds blew the other way. Source: Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story at 19:17
  5. 7 April 2026 Andrew Greenwood — context, first-hand: In archival footage Andrew Greenwood says two men, one in uniform, told him he had seen nothing and threatened him with losing his job and prosecution. Source: Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story at 21:40
  6. 7 April 2026 — disputes it, opinion: Another hypothesis: a stray high-altitude balloon from Project HiBall, a joint Australian–U.S. programme to sample nuclear fallout. No supporting evidence has been found. Source: Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story at 24:38
  7. 25 June 2026 — says so, first-hand: A former pupil says she ran into the Grange and saw an oval craft with bluish-purple lights hovering just above the ground about 10 m away, humming, which rose, turned on its side and shot straight up; two other girls were already there. Source: Australia’s Biggest UFO Mystery | The Westall UFO Incident (1966) at 25:30
  8. 25 June 2026 — says so, first-hand: Shown photos of a weather balloon and a high-altitude balloon, the sceptics' explanations, the witnesses say neither resembles what they saw. Source: Australia’s Biggest UFO Mystery | The Westall UFO Incident (1966) at 58:44

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