Incident · 6 April 1966 · Clayton South, Melbourne, Australia
Westall High School sighting
On 6 April 1966, more than 200 students and teachers at Westall High School and the neighbouring Westall State School in Clayton South, Melbourne, saw a silver, metallic object descend, hover near a grassy paddock and then leave at speed; estimates of the number of witnesses range from about 100 to more than 300. The schools are close to RAAF Laverton.
Witnesses say school administrators and military officials told them not to discuss it. The science teacher Andrew Greenwood later said that RAAF officers visited him and warned him to stay silent, and that the headmaster told them to "go and jump in the lake".
The researcher Keith Basterfield, working from National Archives of Australia records, has proposed a stray HIBAL high-altitude radiation-sampling balloon launched from Mildura, which would have looked silvery and trailed a parachute; the launch paperwork for the relevant days is missing, so the match is unconfirmed.
Sources: ABC Australian Story · Wikipedia
Facts and claims
- claimed 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
- claimed School administrators and military officials reportedly told students and staff not to discuss it. Source: Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story at 3:08
- claimed Science teacher Andrew Greenwood later said that RAAF officers visited him after the sighting and warned him not to discuss it, and that the headmaster told the RAAF to “go and jump in the lake.” — Andrew Greenwood Source: Westall’s 55-year-old school UFO sighting - Teacher Andrew Greenwood at 0:33
- claimed Witness estimates range from about 100 to more than 300 students and staff across Westall High and the adjacent Westall State School. The archive uses 200 as a mid estimate. Source: en.wikipedia.org (archived)
- claimed Researcher Keith Basterfield, working from National Archives of Australia and Department of Supply records, proposed a stray HIBAL high-altitude balloon (a US–Australian radiation-sampling program launched from Mildura). HIBAL balloons looked white and silvery and trailed a parachute and gas tube. The launch paperwork for the relevant days is missing, so the match is unconfirmed. Source: en.wikipedia.org (archived)
Connected files
Claims
Documentaries
- The Phenomenon (subject of)
People
- Andrew Greenwood (witnesses)
- Tania Vassie (witnesses)
Videos
- Westall’s 55-year-old school UFO sighting - Teacher Andrew Greenwood (subject of)
- The UFO Phenomenon | Full Documentary 2021 | 7NEWS Spotlight (subject of)
- Schoolyard witnesses in mass UFO sighting demand answers | Australian Story (subject of)
- Westall UFO 1966. Mr Greenwood's Story Now... and Back Then (subject of)
- Phenom Westall '66 - A Suburban UFO Mystery | HS Documentary. (subject of)
- Australia’s Biggest UFO Mystery | The Westall UFO Incident (1966) (subject of)