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The Westall UFO mystery

'Know what we saw':

On April 6, 1966, Westall High School in Clayton South became host to one of Australia’s strangest mysteries when more than 200 students and staff witnessed up to three unidentified flying objects.

It remains Australia’s most well-documented mass UFO sighting and continues to intrigue more than 50 years later.

One witness, Sue Savage, was 13 at the time of the encounter. She was in science class when a fellow student ran into the classroom shouting:

"There's a flying saucer outside!"

Ms Savage and her classmates went out to the corner of the schoolyard to find out what was going on and were shocked by what they saw.

She said the experience made a lasting impression, and that she regularly had to deal with doubters.

One explanation put forward for the sighting was that the craft was an errant high altitude balloon used to monitor radiation levels. But witnesses dispute this. 

Andrew Greenwood, a teacher at Westall High School, said he remembered the craft was hovering 50 metres above the crowd, about 100 to 200 metres away, and was clearly visible.

It did hover at different times. It seemed to be able to accelerate and disappear out of sight and then someone would see it over in another part of the sky.

ANDREW GREENWOOD

“”

Mr Greenwood spoke to the local media about the sighting. Soon after, he said he was threatened by a senior Air Force officer in uniform and another in a civilian suit to stay quiet.

The first suggestion was that you’d be ill-advised to go on saying that (you saw a UFO), because clearly you were drunk on duty, and that would have to be reported to the Education Department, and of course you’ll lose your job.

ANDREW GREENWOOD

“”

Another Westall witness, Terry Peck, said she followed one of the three hovering objects as it landed in nearby bushland in an area called The Grange.

Just 11 at the time, Peck arrived in a clearing to see two other young girls, one hysterical, the other fainted from shock. She said a “flying saucer craft” was hovering just above the ground.

I could feel heat and hear this buzzing sound. I could see purple lights all around it. I was quite stunned to see it because I didn’t know what it was.

TERRY PECK

“”

Evidence, including photos taken by a teacher and old news footage covering the incident, has all reportedly disappeared amid claims of a cover-up.

But the story endures. In 2013, the local council built UFO Park at The Grange Reserve to commemorate the event. The playground features a silver UFO with red slides and warp-control.

Words: Merryn JohnsProducer: Andrew Piva

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/web-stories/free/herald-sun/melbournes-westall-ufo-sighting-continues-to-fascinate