Big cats in Australia: Big cat spotted in Yarra Junction

Two big black cats have been spotted in Victoria, reigniting debate about whether the elusive creatures exist.

There have been two big black cat sightings in Victoria over the weekend, reigniting long-held theories the cats, or panthers, do exist in Australia.

The cats were spotted in an unknown location in regional Victoria and in Yarra Junction.

There have been hundreds of big cat sightings in Victoria over the years, in locations including Yarra Ranges, Gippsland, and Geelong, despite a 2012 state government report declaring the existence of big cats in the state was “highly unlikely”.

The report found that sightings of animals thought to be pumas or similar large cats were more likely to be big feral cats.

A big black cat was spotted in regional Victoria over the weekend.

Canberra man Arvind Reddy also spotted a big “jet black” cat at the Gawler Foundation Retreat Centre, a 16ha property in Yarra Junction, on Saturday morning.

“I was strolling through the property … and suddenly spotted a giant black animal that looked like a very big cat,” he said.

“It ran away into the bushes within a second. I could see within that time frame it had a catlike face, big black body and a long black tale.”

Mr Reddy had his phone in his pocket so wasn’t unable to capture the creature on camera.

“I just stayed still and didn’t move – it was actually scary to see something like that,” he said.

“Thankfully it did not attack me which I assume is their natural tendency.

“I come from India where I have heard stories of black panthers attacking humans.”

Arvind Reddy says he spotted a black panther at the Gawler Foundation Retreat Centre in Yarra Junction on Saturday.

Mr Reddy said when he told the (retreat) organisers about the sighting they didn’t believe him, instead suggesting said it could have been a rare black wallaby or black possum.

“But I was like ‘This definitely isn’t a kangaroo or wallaby or wombat’,” he said.

“I just stood there and it just jumped right in front of me from one bush to another bush and it just ran away, and it didn’t hop like a kangaroo.

“It has a nice long tail, and it was jet black

“I have no doubt (it was a big black cat) – it couldn’t be anything else.”

There are many theories about how big black cats ended up in Australia.

Some believe the creatures were the offspring of black panthers brought out as mascots by US soldiers during World War II and released into the bush.

Another theory is that a Monbulk man who owned a miniature zoo about 30 years ago released his animals into the bush when the zoo was closed.