King Island UAP reports - around the time of Valentich disappearance

Hi all,

Readers of this blog will be aware that I am a keen supporter of the concept of locating original documentation on events. Readers will also be aware that I have been following the trail of material on the Frederick Valentich disappearance of 1978. So far we have:

1. Access to the two official Australian government files on this incident. (To read my earlier posts on the contents of these files click here and here.)

2. Reports on UAP from Victoria, Tasmania and Bass Strait between the 18th and 23rd October 1978 (Valentich disappeared on 21st October 1978.) To read these reports, and my analysis of them, click here.

One of the additional mysteries of the Valentich incident, is the number of UAP reports which came from King Island in 1978. King Island (click here for map) was the destination which Valentich recorded on his flight plan. I am therefore very thankful to Keith Roberts of the Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre (click here to go to their website - well worth a look) for taking the time to go through their files, and compile a listing of UAP reports for 1978, from King Island. We share these reports below, for your perusal.

1. January. Egg Lagoon. 0200hrs.
Witness up early to attend to children. Noticed low to the north, a fire coloured sphere. The sphere was estimated at 2m diameter and some 3m above the ground. It was situated 300-400m distant over open paddocks. The sphere remained in the same location as the witness viewed it for about 15 minutes before the witness returned to bed. No fires or burn offs were known to have occurred in the area at the time. [TUFOIC sighting form and interview. Unidentified.]

2. July. Currie. Night.
A slow moving object with light, followed a vehicle down North Road to Currie. It then disappeared towards the nearby lighthouse. Other sightings reported in Currie that night. Up north, witnesses saw a strange light pass over their house. On going out to investigate, the light had disappeared. [King Island News 20/9/78. Anonymous letter to editor.] No follow up with witnesses possible.

3. 24 August Saguenay Rock and Cape Wickham. 2100-2130hrs.
Fishermen report flare like lights, including a large green light off Cape Wickham. Whilst investigating, the Police witness what looked like six hand flares 3km off shore. The flares came on after the blue flashing Police light was turned on. An area search by sea and air the next day, failed to locate any vessel in trouble. No ships were unaccounted for. A pilot landing at 2100hrs reported a meteorite disintegrating into sparks. [Burnie Advocate 25/8/78.]

4. Early September. New Year Island. Night.
Lights and flares reported from area. [Verbal, probably from King Island News.]

5. 12 September. Cam Creek. Night.
Large oval light noted. Lights up the area like daylight. [King Island News 20/9/78. Anonymous letter to editor.] No follow up possible.

6. 20 September. Reekara. 2130hrs.
Bright white, oval shape, seem by three witnesses following a shooting trip. They followed the light as they headed south towards Currie. They described the light as 10 times the size of a star. It looked to go out of sight behind a hill to the south-west. It was briefly seen again as a  weak light in the distance towards the ocean. The event lasted about 15 minutes. A Nursing Sister reported to Paul Norman [VUFORS] she had also seen a bright light (the same light?) crossing the sky. VUFORS followed up but were unable to obtain any more information. [King Island News 27/9/78. TUFOIC sighting form and contact] Unidentified.

7. Early October. Currie? Night.
King Island News receives report of more lights seen. Passed on witness contact some months later to TUFOIC. TUFOIC unable to locate witness, who, it appears, had moved from King Island.

8. 21 October. Currie. 1400hrs.
Report of witness sunbathing when something sighted high overhead. TUFOIC obtained sighting form with information on the event. Description given as twice the size of a small aircraft (not a golf ball) Paul Norman (VUFORS) interviewed the witness and gave an estimate of the elevation around 1500m. The initial cloud from which the object emerged was almost overhead. The round white shape moved at first to the west, then headed back towards the east in the west-south-west sky, at an elevation of 70 degrees. The movement was slow, described as slower than a light aircraft. The witness watched for about 10 minutes before having to leave and did not observe the "shape" again. The weather was noted as clear. [King island News. TUFOIC sighting form. VUFORS interview.]
Unidentified.

If any blog readers have further information on cases from King Island, around this era, naturally, I would like to hear of them.