{"type":"events","slug":"1966-westall-ufo-encounter","title":"Westall UFO Encounter","url":"https://disclosdex.com/events/1966-westall-ufo-encounter","description":"Students and teachers in Melbourne watched a saucer-shaped craft land briefly near their school","date":"1966-04-06T00:00:00.000Z","tags":["Sighting"],"updated":"2025-06-27T00:55:15.000Z","disclosureRating":3,"status":"unresolved","lat":-37.951,"lng":145.1344,"connectionCount":0,"content":{"markdown":"On April 6, 1966, over 200 students and teachers at Westall High School in Melbourne, Australia, witnessed a large, silent, disc-shaped object descend from the sky and land in a nearby open field known as The Grange. The mass sighting, which lasted for approximately 20 minutes, also involved reports of several smaller aircraft pursuing the object.[^1] The Westall UFO encounter remains one of Australia's most significant and intriguing mass sightings, with many witnesses maintaining their accounts despite official explanations.[^2]\n\n## The Sighting\n\nAt around 11:00 AM, students at Westall High School observed a silver or grey disc-shaped object, estimated to be about twice the size of a family car, moving silently through the sky.[^3] The object reportedly descended behind a row of trees into The Grange, an open area south of the school. Some witnesses described the object as having a domed top and appearing to \"thicken\" at times. Shortly after, several smaller, unidentified aircraft, possibly Cessnas, were seen circling and making erratic maneuvers as if attempting to intercept the UFO.[^4]\n\n## Aftermath and Investigation\n\nFollowing the sighting, many students rushed to The Grange, where some reported finding a circular area of flattened or burnt grass, suggesting a landing site.[^1] Local newspapers, including The Dandenong Journal, covered the event prominently. However, initial media reports, such as one in The Age, suggested the object might have been a weather balloon.[^2] There were also widespread reports that \"men in suits\" cautioned witnesses not to discuss details of a secret government exercise, leading to speculation of a cover-up.[^5] The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) denied any knowledge of unusual aircraft activity, and official explanations often pointed to weather balloons or experimental aircraft, though many witnesses, including a science teacher, continued to challenge these claims.[^6]\n\n[^1]: [Wikipedia: Westall UFO incident](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westall_UFO_incident)\n[^2]: [Factual America: The Westall UFO Incident](https://www.factualamerica.com/the-westall-ufo-incident/)\n[^3]: [Museum of Lost: The Westall UFO Incident](https://museumoflost.com/the-westall-ufo-incident/)\n[^4]: [State Library Victoria: The Westall UFO Incident](https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/westall-ufo-incident)\n[^5]: [Atollon: The Westall UFO Incident](https://www.atollon.com.au/the-westall-ufo-incident/)\n[^6]: [Atollon: Westall 1966](https://atollon.com.au/article/westall-1966/)","readingTime":"2 min read"},"relatedRecords":[],"citation":{"canonicalUrl":"https://disclosdex.com/events/1966-westall-ufo-encounter","title":"Westall UFO Encounter","publisher":"Disclosdex","retrievedFrom":"https://disclosdex.com/api/v1/events/1966-westall-ufo-encounter","license":"CC-BY-4.0"},"witnesses":["Over 200 students and teachers"],"evidence":["Eyewitness testimony","Physical traces (alleged)"]}