Chapter One
UFOS Over The Burragorang

Whether or not they have anything to do with the secret operations going on beneath the Blue Mountains, UFOs over the Burragorang Valley have a long history. There had been mystery objects observed by residents of homes overlooking the Jamieson-Burragorang Valleys going back before World War Two but these were largely overlooked by the radio and newspaper media of the time.

Then came the sudden interest in ‘Unidentified Flying Objects’ worldwide as the 1940s drew to a close, and the then Katoomba-based Radio Station 2KA, began reporting mysterious objects seen by locals.

For example during August 1954 there was a flurry of UFO activity over the Burragorang/Kanangra/Katoomba region. Strange ‘saucer-type’ airships, glowing red or green, were repeatedly claimed sighted at night by Megalong and Hartley Valley residents.

Tourists reported seeing a yellowish-glowing ‘saucer’ flying up the Grose Valley on an east to west course, to fly high over Govett’s Leap and on over Blackheath heading towards Bathurst.

The Sydney radio and newspaper media, never able to take such things seriously, did not help any serious investigation, by centring their attention upon Sydney University students, who dressed as spacemen, were to be seen at Echo Point Lookout, bailing up tourists for donations to a charity!

The screening of the new Paramount Pictures science fiction film, “War of the Worlds” [based upon the HG Wells book] did a roaring trade at Katoomba’s Savoy Theatre that August school holidays. This film showed to packed houses, no doubt to many locals wondering if the extra-terrestrial visitors had any long term plans!

The author remembers this well, because my mother took me to see the film one weekday matinee while the family were holidaying at Katoomba, and it was my introduction to science fiction films.

Something like three to four hundred sightings were reported to Radio Station 2KA that year. Strange glowing metallic suited figures were claimed seen by campers out on Narrow Neck Plateau late at night, and the hysteria cooked up by 2KA at one stage made many people, including tourists, hesitant to go out at night!

Chapter One
UFOS Over The Burragorang