2001

The first major expedition was conducted near Hill End on 21st September 2001. Our venture was based on a number of reported sightings of unusual light phenomenon between Peel and Hill End (approximately 5 hours northwest from Sydney). Some of these reports came from people who drove the stretch of the Bridle Track - a 52-kilometre unsealed road, 38-kilometres of which is rugged and dangerous with dramatic drops and eroded surfaces. The popularity of this area was probably at its peak around the 1850's, during the time of the gold rush.

 

One of the more interesting reports speaks of an account that occurred about half a century ago. The reportee was handed down the story from his grandfather who allegedly saw a cocoon shaped craft in a valley somewhere off the Bridle Track. Within close proximity of the object the witness noticed a blue iridescent humanoid that appeared to be collecting soil samples with some kind of apparatus.

 

Unfortunately there was no other material to substantiate the claims of extraordinary phenomena occurring in this region. Despite the lack of trace evidence, the amount of individual reports was sufficient for us to investigate the area at fist hand.

 

After establishing base camp, it wasn't until the second night (22nd September) that we began experiencing some incredible light activity towards the north (it is worth noting that a purple haze appeared around 1.00pm just above the northern mountain and despite strong winds, it remained there until we lost sight of it after night fall - refer to page 'Relationship Between Clouds, Contrails and UFOs'). Two star-like objects slowly cruised silently from the east, travelling parallel and heading in a westerly direction. Once they came around 10 degrees above the mountain range, the objects simultaneously came to a stop in mid air. Immediately we aimed a ten inch dobsonium telescope towards the objects and began to observe with various eye pieces. What we visually picked up was incredible. Both objects had identical characteristics - cupola base incorporating a dome feature on the upper section that pulsated at certain intervals. Furthermore, the lower portion of these crafts seemed to rotate with a combination of red, white, blue and green colours.

 

The objects remained there for a considerable time period taking a geostationary orbit. They vanished after the rest of the five man crew became distracted by other aerial phenomenon.

 

But this does not cover the entirety of accounts that occurred on 22 September 2001. In fact before the initial sighting, just after sunset, one of the expedition team members sighted what he claimed to be a red ball of light rising up from behind the northwestern region of the mountain. According to his testimony as the unknown light source ascended it then abruptly changed course and descended behind the tree line. The unknown repeated this manoeuvre two or three times in a matter of seconds, giving the member little or no time to alert the rest of the crew.

Later in the evening when the two suspicious lights appeared above the northern range, two members of the team discovered an Aurora Borealis type of phenomenon rising up from a winding fire trail from an unknown source.

Although the rest of the crew were preoccupied observing the objects hovering in the sky, the two members decided that the phenomenon warranted a closer investigation. They claimed that the phenomenon covered a large area, appeared as a faint blue iridescent curtain of light rising up (refer to artist recreation). Because the two men were hesitant to leave base camp without any form of communicational device, by the time they made their decision to engage the source the phenomenon disappeared. Both members have greatly regretted their hesitation.

It is worth noting that no vehicles were heard or seen during the course of the night nor were there any dwellings or structures in the area.

 

The impressive show of various light anomalies (from all directions) continued until 2.00am on 23rd September.

 

2003

In August 2003 we decided to revisit the same area near Hill End. On our second night we noticed a bright oval shape, luminous object descend silently behind a northern ridge. After entering into a debate over what we had just witnessed, one member altered us to a series of random red and white laser-like flashes on the side of the nearby mountain range. Two members of the crew decided to investigate while the others remained at base camp. Armed with a hand held CB and a flood light we advanced up the track, occasionally giving light signals back to base camp to indicate our progression. After walking for about 10 minutes, our next light signal initiated an alert from base camp that one of the small lights from the mountain flashed directly above us. I immediately scrambled up the 50 - 60 degree slope, struggling through the foliage, armed with a flood light.

 

After ¾ of the way towards the summit, I crashed forward, startling something that was hiding behind a tree only meters from where I lay. This, whatever it was, stood erect (anthropomorphic), approximately three feet tall and completely featureless. At first instance I thought it may have been one of the local fauna (wallaby), but then the life form effortlessly and without sound glided up the slope, as if moving in a weightless environment without any physical effort. Needless to say that I had to take a moment to digest what I had just seen.

 

When I stood up, I could see a dense bush ahead of me - an excellent cover for the life form. Trying to decide whether to retaliate or pursue, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a malevolent atmosphere. I elected to withdraw. In my final few meters towards the road my anxious colleague saw me fall through the entanglement and hitting the rocky surface hard. Yet as I fell, I turned back with the flood light illuminating the trail behind me. I was not followed.

 

This daunting but amazing experience opened up a new dimension for me. When you least expect for something to happen … be prepared for surprises.

 

Rather than dissuade me from pursuing things that go bump in the night, it has increased my curiosity and intrigue a hundred fold.

 

 

2006

 

Three years after the last expedition, five of our researchers returned to investigate the strange goings on near Hill End.

It was the second night again (23rd September) when the activity began. This time it seemed to be upper atmospheric. One of our crew members, Dominic McNamara explains one of the sightings:

 

"Seeing satellites go by is not an unusual thing … even low Earth ones. But these two were in the same part of the sky at exactly the same time … it's not impossible, it's more unthinkable, it's not normal. They were 90 degrees - one was travelling across the sky and the other 90 degrees the other way. And then one of them … one of them we could keep tracking, the other one went into the galactic plane … and they're faint enough to start to mix with the Milky Way and it didn't come out the other side. Instead we saw a flash as it zipped … chasing the other one. And the only thing we can come up with is … that wasn't a satellite. The other one might have been but that one wasn't. We didn't get it on video … we weren't tracking them (with video camera) … first we thought they're just a couple of satellites."

 

Of the many unusual light activities that night, one other made us wonder what we were actually witnessing. Initially we were observing a bright flash occurring at variable intervals, between the constellations Scorpius and Ophiuchus. The unknown remained stationary until a commercial plane passed nearby. Then unexpectedly the anomaly began towards the zenith, slightly deviating towards the southwest. We were able to track the unknown with a more powerful video camera at full optical zoom. Unfortunately we lost sight of it after tracking it for around 5 minutes. It is worthwhile mentioning that as the object progressed across the night sky, the glare or flashes it produced did not diminish.

After analysing still images (individual frames) of the unknown, none produced a clear outline of its true character therefore I elected not to display any of the images.

 

There is no doubt that Hill End and its surroundings invites phenomenon that defies all conventional explanations. We will return again as the area warrants further investigations.

 

These images are individual frames from a footage recorded by a Sony Handycam through the eye piece of the 10 inch dobsonium telescope.

Artist recreation of the Aurora Borealis phenomenon sighted at Hill End in 2001