Quick Info
April 6, 1966, Clayton South, Melbourne, Australia. During morning recess at Westall High School and Westall State School, more than 200 students and teachers watched a silvery disc-shaped object descend, hover silently over the nearby field, then land briefly before ascending and disappearing. Military and police arrived quickly, cordoned off the area, and interviewed witnesses.
The case remains one of the largest mass schoolyard UFO sightings on record, with consistent accounts over decades.
Timeline of Events – April 6, 1966
The sighting unfolded over roughly 20 to 30 minutes during morning recess. Times are approximate, based on student and teacher statements, school records, and later interviews.
- 10:30–10:55 a.m. Normal school morning at Westall High School and Westall State School. Students and teachers are outside for recess on the shared oval and open fields. Weather is clear, sunny, and calm. Children play cricket, chat, and enjoy the break.
- 10:55–11:00 a.m. A silvery, disc-shaped object appears in the eastern sky. It is first noticed by students playing on the oval. The object is completely silent and metallic-looking. It descends slowly and steadily from high altitude. Some students point and shout, "Look, a flying saucer!"
- 11:00–11:05 a.m. The object reaches low altitude and hovers over the field behind the schools. Students stop playing and stare. Teachers and staff look up. Estimates put its size at around 30 feet across. It appears solid, shiny, and saucer-like with a dome or raised center on some accounts. Many children run to the fence line to watch. Others are frozen in awe or fear.
- 11:05–11:10 a.m. The object hovers for several minutes, low enough to be clearly seen by hundreds. Teachers urge students to stay calm. Some describe it as "silver-grey and seemed to 'thicken' sometimes." Drawings made by children that day show a consistent saucer shape with dome or antenna-like features.
- 11:10–11:15 a.m. The object descends even lower, almost touching the grass in some descriptions. Dust and grass are disturbed beneath it. Some witnesses say it briefly "landed" or rested on the ground. The object then rises straight up, accelerates, and disappears toward the west at high speed.
- 11:15–11:20 a.m. Recess ends. Students and teachers return to class, buzzing with excitement and confusion. Many children draw what they saw. Teachers discuss the event in staff rooms. Some students are visibly shaken.
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Military personnel (Australian Army) and police arrive in trucks and cars. They cordon off the landing area, question students and teachers, and take soil/grass samples. Some witnesses report men in uniforms instructing silence. The school principal reportedly tells students to stop talking about it.
- Afternoon – Evening Local media begins reporting. Parents pick up children and hear the story. Word spreads through the community. No official explanation is given by authorities.
- Days/Weeks Following More witnesses come forward. Drawings are collected. The Australian government and RAAF investigate but issue no public statement. The event fades from headlines but lives on in witness memory.
April 6, 1966 – An Ordinary School Day Turns Extraordinary
It was a clear autumn morning in Melbourne's outer suburbs. Westall High School and the adjacent Westall State School shared a large oval and open fields. Around 11:00 a.m., during morning recess, students and teachers were outside playing, chatting, and enjoying the sun.
Then something impossible appeared in the sky.
A shiny, silvery object, shaped like a disc or saucer, descended slowly from the east. It was completely silent, metallic-looking, and estimated at 30 feet across. It moved with precision, hovered over the field behind the schools for several minutes, then gently descended to grass level. Some witnesses said it landed briefly, others said it hovered very low. Dust and grass were disturbed beneath it. After a short time, it ascended straight up, accelerated, and vanished toward the west.
"It was silver, shiny, like a big metal disc. It came down slowly, hovered right over the oval, then went straight up and disappeared. No noise at all."
– Teacher at Westall State School (1966 statement)
"I was playing on the oval when I looked up and saw this silver thing coming down. It was shiny, like polished metal. It hovered over the grass, then landed softly. No sound. Then it went straight up and shot away."
– Westall student (1966 drawing & later interview)
The entire event lasted 20 to 30 minutes. Over 200 students, teachers, and staff saw it. Many ran to the fence line to watch. Some were terrified, others fascinated. Drawings made by children that day (later collected) show a consistent saucer shape with dome or antenna-like features.
The Immediate Aftermath – Military & Police Response
Within minutes of the object leaving, military personnel (Australian Army) and police arrived in trucks and cars. They cordoned off the landing area, questioned students and teachers, and collected soil/grass samples. Some witnesses reported men in uniforms telling them not to talk about it. The school principal reportedly instructed students to stay quiet.
"The soldiers were there very quickly. They put tape around the field and wouldn't let us near it. They told us it was nothing and to go back to class."
– Student eyewitness (interviewed decades later)
No official explanation was ever given. The Australian Department of Defence later denied any involvement, but witnesses insist military were present and active.
Witness Accounts – What the Children and Teachers Saw
Over 200 people saw the object. Accounts are remarkably consistent:
- Shape: silvery disc or saucer, metallic, no visible propulsion
- Size: 30 feet across (some said smaller, others larger)
- Movement: silent descent, hovering, gentle landing or low hover, straight-up ascent, rapid departure
- Duration: 20 to 30 minutes visible
- Effects: dust/grass disturbed beneath, some felt heat or static
"As a teacher I saw the object clearly. It was disc-shaped, silver, hovering low. The children were excited and scared. I told them to stay calm. Then the military arrived and everything changed."
– Westall High School teacher (1966 statement)
"We all saw it. It wasn't a plane or a balloon. It was solid, shiny, and it landed. The army came and took away the grass where it touched down."
– Former Westall student (2010 interview)
Project Blue Book & Official Response
The Australian government and RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) investigated but issued no public explanation. Some witnesses claim documents were classified. The case was never officially closed as identified. It is considered one of the most credible mass sightings in history.
Key Videos and Interviews of the Westall 1996 Event
Visit @PROJECTUNKNOWNFIELDFILES on YouTube
Legacy in 2026
60 years later, Westall 1966 remains one of the most compelling mass UFO events: over 200 witnesses (mostly children and teachers), consistent descriptions, physical effects (grass disturbance), rapid military response, and no credible debunking. The 2010 documentary *Westall '66* brought renewed attention. Witnesses, now in their 60s and 70s, still stand by their accounts. The event is remembered as a genuine mystery that changed lives forever.
