FEBRUARY 1998
02.02.98 FOREST HILL, nr.GATTON, QLD (NL)
(Source: UFO Encounter, #179 Dec/Jan 1998 Edition)
A witness observed a bright flashing light to the west at about 45 degrees elevation for 20 to 30 minutes. At first the light looked like the headlight of an aircraft, and stars around it looked dull. While under observation the light moved north, flashed big bright orange, and blue , red and green at other times. No associated sound was heard. UFORQ Inc

02.02.98 INNISFAIL, QLD 0300hrs (NL)
QB98002
Witness had a feeling of a presence and awoke from sleep, looked out the window near his bed and observed a full moon-sized lighted object in the sky to the west.

He stepped out of bed and stood at the window to look at the object, he then noticed another object identical to but located south of the first at apparently the same height and distance.

The witness continued to observe the stationary objects for several minutes when they moved slowly away towards the west. He lost sight of them as they were obscured behind some palm trees near his residence.

Both objects appeared identical moon size, round cluster of small star sized, white lights. The witness estimates the duration of the observation to be approximately 10 minutes total.

NOTES: There were no air traffic movements recorded in the area at the time of the event. The witness also reported observing two objects seen by several people over Innisfail on 15th July 1997. See Report No QB97009. Russell Boundy UFORFNQ

02.02.98 DEVENPORT, TAS 2355hrs (CE1)
(Source: Barry Taylor, Network Update 09.03.98)
On 2nd February, at 11.55 PM in Tasmania, Australia witnesses report sighting two bright white triangular objects ripping through the night sky over Devenport.

03-04.02.98 SOUTHGATE, NSW 2230-0130hrs (CE1)
(Source: Barry Taylor, Network Update 06.02.98)
Witnesses: Rick and Donna, and 12-year-old daughter. Of Riverbank Road, Southgate, which is 20km north of Grafton, NSW.

Donna went outside between 10-10.30pm to have a cigarette on the front verandah of their home. They have a broad open view towards the NW. Donna noticed a very bright white light just above the horizon, and an estimated 2km away. She called out to her husband to come and have a look at it. They both watched it together for about one hour, while Rick stayed to watch it until about 1.30 am. During their close observation, the light did some unusual maneuvers and some unexplainable things were observed. Donna called her 12-year-old daughter outside to verify what they were watching. The unexplainable characteristics observed with this object follow:

The light was maneuvering above the ground at a height between approximately 5 to 50 meters. Eliminating a ground based human activity such as spotlight shooting or motor vehicle.

The light maneuvered up and down, side to side and approached and receded from the observer's position.

The light was so bright in intensity that it reflected off the verandah post, nearby trees and trees on a small hill about half a kilometre from observers.

There was a 'wedge shaped' beam of light emanating from the object that would sweep horizontally to the North and South, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly. Three motor vehicles were travelling north along the main road 1/2km from observers during the sighting time. The wedge shaped beam was seen to follow these vehicles as if watching them. The beam was similar to a laser, because of its sharply defined edges, not defused like a normal incandescent light beam. The wedge shape of the beam would narrow to a more parallel beam, as if a vertical shutter aperture was closing down. The beam would sometimes dull in brightness and appear to go out, then suddenly reappear to continue scanning the north and south horizon. Once, while the beam was pointed to the south, the bright object jumped backwards quickly stopped momentarily then jumped backwards again while the beam remained steady. The bright object quickly approached the observers at one time, while scanning the beam very close to them. The ground area in front of them was brightly illuminated. At this moment, the observers feared for their safety, but the light quickly receded to its original position to continue its antics.

The area was normally quiet at this time of the night, but not this night. The cattle in surrounding farms were noticeably agitated by incessant mooing, sometimes sounding if in a state of distress. The vehicles could be clearly heard as they passed on the main road. But another noise could be heard from time-to-time coming from the direction of the object. It was described as a mechanical noise similar to a harvester working. But the movements of the light source, and observations, eliminated a working harvested. The noise could be heard for a 15-second interval, than would be off for 20 minutes. This sequence was repeated several times. The witnesses had their dog with them during the whole observation, but he did not react to the light at any stage.

All witnesses observed an estimated 50 smaller objects entering the main object from the left and right. These smaller objects were dimly illuminated, and described as 'shipping containers' in shape. Sometimes two would enter the light from the left, than one from the right. There appeared to be no regular pattern to this event, eliminating a rotating light source attached to a larger than observed object. The bright light source appeared to have extended light shafts similar to what is seen extending from bright stars in the night sky. The smaller lights would enter these extended beams from either side.

During the observation, both adult witnesses noted two circular dimly illuminated lights high above the lower bright object. These higher lights were barely visible but their position in relation the lower light formed a triangle. The higher lights would be about 500 metres above the main light.

Donna, while watching the UFO, stumped out two cigarette butts beside the drain near the steps. She usually threw them down the drain, which would than, be flushed away when she did the washing. Next morning, she remembered the two butts that were not thrown down the drain, and went to clean them up. When she went there, the butts were gone, and were not in the drain either. This she could not explain. They had just disappeared.

I Personally interviewed the witnesses the next morning and plotted the location of the object on a topographical map. The object was positioned over a Tea Tree Farm. We drove to the location but were unable to enter because of a locked gate. The investigation will continue.

FURTHER INFORMATION GAINED FROM THE INTERVIEW
Donna and Rick have a history of seeing UFO's. In the early 1980's, Rick was living in Southern Sydney. One night he observed five red lights high in the sky moving independently of one another. The lights were moving erratically while approaching his location. The lights grouped above him at a height of about 300 meters. They stopped and remained stationery for about two minutes, when they suddenly shot off at great speed and disappeared from view over the horizon in seconds. He said the red lights had hovered directly over Lucas Heights Atomic Reactor.

Donna and Rick were visiting the Hawkesbury River area in about 1990 when they observed a bright white UFO slowly fly over the area. Soon after the sighting they noticed an Army helicopter circling the area.

In late 1996, Donna observed a triangle shaped UFO fly overhead when living at Brushgrove N.S.W. Brushgrove is very close to where they now live. Donna first observed a white triangular form approaching her location, and as it flew overhead it remained triangular in shape. The object was almost transparent but still visible. It was 8.30am and moving from the west to east and out over the ocean. She described it as 'Stealth' in nature and shape (a similar shape to the US Stealth fighter). There was no noise.

Furthering out conversation on the UFO subject generally, I discovered a "scoop" mark on Donnas left shin. She said that she has had that mark for as long as she can remember, and does not know how she got it. She has never
Had chicken pox. Donna appears very physic from what she tells me, and I have asked her to keep a diary for future reference. She has dreams of flying, and speaks in foreign languages while asleep. Study on this aspect will continue.

One day while checking her vegetable seeds planted over the back fence, she was hit on the buttock quite hard with a tennis ball. She immediately spun around to see who had thrown it, but there was nobody there. She quizzed the children who were inside, but nobody had done it. They could not have because they were nowhere near the doorways and all windows were closed. The ball belonged to the family, but had mysteriously been thrown at her by someone unseen.

06.02.98 WODONGA, VIC 2330-2345hrs (CE1)
(Source: Barry Taylor, Network Update 09.03.98)
Respondents reported sighting a very large Orange triangular shaped illumination over the Wodonga area, Victoria, Australia on 6th February 1998, from 11:30 to 11:45 PM. A very large intense bright orange light appeared in the southeast sky. One respondent said that he "was even looking at the stars in that area of the sky when this triangular illumination just seemed to appear from no-where." The Orange object moved from the South east towards Wodonga (NNW) and then appeared to hover for about 30 seconds in the east. It changed direction and took five minutes to travel out of sight towards the Hume Power Station. It was the size of a commercial jetliner traveling at only 600 feet with no sound.

08.02.98 BELL BAY, TAS 0945hrs (CE1)
(Source: Keith Roberts & Paul Jackson, Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre)
Five witnesses’ report white cigar object with smaller objects moving around it. Small objects disappear and cigar goes off to south.

14.02.98 GOLD COAST, QLD 0545hrs (DD)
(Source: Barry Taylor, Network Update 09.03.98)
On 14th February, at 5:45 AM, on the Gold Coast, Queensland large black disc shapes object was sighted. The disc shaped object heading due north flew on a straight and level course. Its speed was slower than a commercial aircraft but too fast for a balloon since there was only a 10 knots breeze SSW to NNE.

17.02.98 CAIRNS, QLD (NL)
(Source: Lawrie Williams, Network Update 02.03.98)
On Tuesday evening 17th of February a "stack" of four lights descended from the sky over Cairns. Two of the lights then "floated away" and then returned. Then all four rose back into the sky. On the same evening there was a report on the television when object/s were seen over Edmonton. (Just south of Cairns.)

INVESTIGATION OF FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND UFO ACTIVITY:
It appears that the lights seen in all the above cases were moving towards the valley that cuts through the mountain ranges that border the coast. That brings them directly up this way. I note that the Aborigines had at least two principal Bora (i.e. Par-Ra or "The Fire of Ra") grounds that faced out that way. Meanwhile in Ireland and Wales the start of February meant Imbolc or Oimelg, and it was the cue to set large bonfires. It will be interesting to see if there is any action come Easter and after that, May Day. In some quarters the custom on the eve before was to go alone into the forest and spend the night there, returning with a staff on the following day. I'd like to hear other accounts of people who have apparently had contact experiences and have subsequently received some form of communication. (However bizarre it might seem too western sensibilities.)

17.02.98 INVERLOCK, VIC 2045hrs (CE1)
(Source: The Australian UFO Bulletin, June 1998 Edition)
An object "larger than the moon" was seen flying from the southwest to the north east at a speed calculated to be around 400kph. The object, described by the pilot witness, as a huge ball of light with a tail of the same colour. It went into a dive as if to land north east of Inverlock over Andersons Inlet. VUFORS

28.02.98 DONCASTER, VIC 2225hrs (CE1)
(Source: The Australian UFO Bulletin September 1998 Issue)
An elliptical shaped object about 80% of the moon’s size was seen travelling south to southwest in a straight line. It took four minutes to fly out of sight. VUFORS