Australian Story on ABC and ABC iview profiles The Westall UFO Mystery – On April 6, 1966, a Melbourne school was thrown into chaos when strange objects appeared in the sky. It remains the largest mass UFO sighting in Australian history, witnessed by more than a hundred students in broad daylight.
Sixty years later, through the eyes of the now-adult witnesses, Australian Story examines the enduring impact of that day and the efforts to make sense of it that followed.
“It was large, easily visible, circular, silver and clearly under some form of control,”
– says retired school principal Ken Stallard, who was 15 at the time.
“I just shrieked, ‘There’s a flying saucer,’”
– recalls Tania Vassie, who was 13-years-old.
“And that’s when the commotion started. What frustrates me and I think the other witnesses is the attempt of having it buried. Can we just find out what it is please? That’s all we want.”
Coverage of the incident died down quickly and existed largely in the realm of urban myth until former teacher Shane Ryan began investigating in 2005. Over the past 20 years he’s interviewed around 140 witnesses who tell a consistent story of the sightings, with some recalling the arrival of a number of men in uniform.
“It’s amazing to me that there’s so much commonality across the witness testimonies,”
– he says.
“People clearly remember there being a military presence.”
The episode, to be broadcast on the 60th anniversary of the sightings, features new first-hand accounts and investigates several theories about what might be behind the sightings. Were the objects classified military technology or high-flying balloons testing radioactive fallout?
“Of course, something must have happened,”
– says Richard Saunders, from Australian Skeptics Inc.
“It’s just trying to find the most reasonable explanation. People would rather jump to a conclusion which is quite far-fetched and be satisfied than simply say, we just don’t know.”
Producer: Rebecca Latham
Australian Story on ABC and ABC iview – Monday 6 April, 2026 at 8.00pm
Media Release – ABC
TV Central ABC content HERE
Australian Story on ABC and ABC iview profiles The Westall UFO Mystery
