The sighting
The morning of April 6, 1966. Students at Westall High School in Clayton South were outside for sport. Several noticed a grey-silver object in the sky. Word spread. Hundreds of students, along with teachers, ran to the fence to watch.
The object descended toward the Grange, a paddock and pine-tree reserve across the road. It disappeared briefly behind trees. Then it rose and departed to the northwest at speed. Estimates of the duration range from a few minutes to twenty. Several witnesses reported small aircraft in the area, apparently following the object.
A group of students crossed to the Grange. They reported a circle of flattened grass. Science teacher Andrew Greenwood was among the adult witnesses. He later said he was warned by officials not to speak about it.
Aftermath
The school reportedly held an assembly. There the headmaster told students not to discuss the event. A short report appeared in a local newspaper, The Dandenong Journal. Then the story faded. No official investigation records have been released, and the Royal Australian Air Force has said it has no file on the incident.
Revival
In the 2000s researcher Shane Ryan tracked down witnesses. That led to reunions, and to the 2010 documentary Westall '66: A Suburban UFO Mystery. A park at the site now includes a UFO-themed playground.
Explanations proposed include a military weather balloon, or a classified high-altitude balloon test drifting into the area. Witnesses reject a balloon because of the object's controlled movement.
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