‘Yowie’ calls recorded by Gold Coast locals as mystery deepens

Two teens stargazing in the Hinterland believe they have captured the first sounds of the Gold Coast yowie. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO

TWO teens stargazing in the Tallebudgera Valley believe they have captured the first sounds of the Gold Coast yowie.

Harrison Ryan and Dalton Bell say they were at the southern end of Tallebudgera Creek Road in Upper Tallebudgera about 10.30pm last week when they heard a “deep, moaning growl”.

Their alleged discovery has been supported by a zoologist, who says the recording is “definitely that of a large mammal”.

Vets at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital were unable to identify the sound when asked yesterday, but said it was not the mythical creature.

‘MORE INVESTIGATION’ NEEDED INTO YOWIES

Pixie Byrnes drew this gorilla-like animal immediately after encountering it in Tweed Shire at 11.30am on 10 March 2008. Image was published in Gary Opit's report published in Australian Zoologist.

MORE COAST YOWIE SPOTTERS COME FORWARD

The reports follow claims last week that a Currumbin Valley family had been stalked by a “large hairy animal” and the discovery of a large “footprint” at Mount French.

Mr Ryan said the teens heard a rumbling from the scrub last Thursday night.

“We spend a lot of time there during the day but this was the first time we had been out there in the dark,” the 19-year-old said.

“We were sitting there and then started to hear the sound. It was clearly large.

"It was deep moaning growling, but wasn’t consistent. We were trying to see whether a cow would make that sound. We weren’t too sure and stuck around for another half an hour listening.”

LISTEN TO THE YOWIE SOUNDS IN VIDEO BELOW

Joshua Clark drew a picture of the animal that he and his mother had observed at 2pm on 23 March 1996. Image from Gary Opit's paper published in Australian Zoologist.

COAST YOWIE WITNESS SPEAKS OUT

The teens said they returned two nights later to try and recapture the sound. They say they heard it.

“We were standing near our cars, worst case scenario we could leave quickly.”

OTHER NEWS:

Cancer survivor raring to take on Titans

Traffic hell: Two hours to reach Spit

Cheers as ‘house’ blocking road cleared

Mr Ryan, an event planner, said he was certain the noises had not been made by koalas or another animal.

“We have all heard about yowies in the valley and their legends, but this was our first experience so we sent it to Dean (Dean Harrison of Australian Yowie Research),” he said.

“To some extent I am sceptical but I don’t know for sure.”

‘I ALMOST HIT A YOWIE’: TRUCKIE CLAIMS

Naturalist Gary Opit. Photography David Kelly

YOWIE COULD BE BEHIND HINTERLAND PET KILLINGS

Zoologist and ABC wildlife expert Gary Opit said: “There is always a possibility it could be the bellowing of cattle, but given where the recording was made I am inclined to think it was a yowie.

“The yowie calls are always very powerful calls.”

Mr Opit, who grew up in Surfers Paradise, claims to have heard yowie roars himself on a number of occasions in the Hinterland.

A member of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales for 45 years, Mr Opit has written a scientific paper on yowies.

“In my line of work as a field biologist the many and varied voices of the animals provides instant identification and many species are recorded for a locality from the calls alone,” Mr Opit said.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN FOR $1 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST 12 WEEKS

Dr Michael Pyne said Currumbin Wildlife Hospital would treat a Yowie if needed. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Mr Harrison said Mr Opit’s advice has been “invaluable”.

“This is the second interesting recording we have received from the public in the past six months,” he said.

“The first was from the Blue Mountains, and this second one from Tallebudgera.

“I have worked with Gary Opit for nearly 25 years. His advice on such matters over this time has been invaluable.”

The Bulletin asked Michael Pyne, senior vet at the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, if he could recognise the animal in the audio.

“None of us have any ideas, the audio is pretty ordinary and hard to hear,” Dr Pyne said.

“Do I think it is a yowie? Not at all, but I don’t know what it is.

“It is nothing that jumps out to me or any of us.”

Despite his doubt Dr Pyne said yowie hunters were welcome to bring the animal into the hospital if they find it injured.

“We treat all animals great and small,” he said.