Northern Territory UAP file digitised

Hi all,

Paul Dean, the Melbourne researcher who is mining the National Archives of Australia (NAA), has recently had the NAA digitise a Northern Territory UAP file from the 1970's.

For some unknown reason, the Northern Territory District Office at Alice Springs started collecting newspaper clippings about UAP in 1972 and kept doing so until 1980. I have summarised the file, file series F706, control symbol 1973/159 barcode 1843991, from the Darwin office of the NAA, below:

1. "More UFO sightings."

Reg Smith of Alice Springs saw two glowing lights at 2116hrs last Saturday. One was green and one was red. They travelled NE to SW. No noise. Visible for 3-5 seconds.

2. "Armed police called to airport on emergency." 13 Sep 1972.

An unknown "aircraft" was sighted high over Derby, WA, at 0415hrs by Department of Civil Aviation witnesses. Heading E to SE. Witnesses at the Alice Springs airport saw what looked like an aircraft going over at 0545hrs.

3. "New UFO report in Alice." News 18 Oct (year?)

Helen Brown was at a BBQ when she saw a red/white/blue light in  the sky at 7.15pm and again at 7.45 pm.

4. "UFO seen in Darwin." 19 Oct 1973.

Bob Brent at sunset saw a red object with a blue haze around it. 18 Oct 1973.

5. "More UFOs." Uncited paper 23 Oct 1973.

Darwin 22 Oct 1973. A dozen witnesses saw a bright light for more than 30 minutes. It was brighter than a star, and had a red ring around it. It moved slowly to the East.

6. "UFO on walkabout." Advocate. 25 Oct (year?)

UFO seen over Alice Springs last Wednesday like a "minature sunset." Bob Brent of Mitchell Street West saw a red object with a blue haze around it. On horizon over East Point. Shot straight up and disappeared. No vapour trail.

7. "UFO sightings -fact or fiction?" 13 Dec 1972.

General article written by two members of the UFO Research Section of the Astronomical Society of Central Australia.

8. "UFO over Casuarina. News. 26 Feb 1974.

Objects in the Darwin pre-dawn skies seen by multiple witnesses.

9. "The News snaps that UFO." News 28 Feb 1974.

Mystery object in the sky over Casuarina last few nights has been photographed using a Nikon 10 second exposure, F 2.8, using a 50mm lens. Sightings began 20 Feb at 0330hrs . Two bright objects. A cross shaped one and a half moon shaped one. Seen for next four nights. Photographed at 0530hrs Tuesday. A very bright white light in the sky. Moved slowly upward. There was no moon.

10. "UFO circle looked so real!" News 7 Mar 1974.

Rapid Creek, NT. A flying saucer nest. 1.8m diameter, flattened, circular and clockwise. Dead grass. Investigation suggested a boy on a motor bike was the cause.

11. "UFO flew over Alawa." Uncited. Undated.

Last night in Darwin there was a report of a red/white flashing lights in the sky. 1715hrs. East to West.

12. "People report strange UFOs." Centralian Advocate. 13 Apr 1978.

Last Wednesday several people reported two bright yellow objects travelling west at high speed at between 10-11pm.

13. "Things that go flash in the night." The Star. 4 Jun 1978.

General article with IFOs from Tony Brunt, SA Bureau of Meteorology.

14. "UFO over Tanami." 19 Jun 1980. Centralian Advocate.

0200hrs 7 Jun 1980. Multiple witnesses report flash of light and 3-5 minutes later, a distant explosion and "rolling vibration of the ground."

If any blog readers knows why the Northern Territory District Office at Alice Springs was interested in UAP, I'd like to know.