About 2016, British "skeptical" ufologist Peter Rogerson told in his INTCAT ufology catalogue, from a third hand source - a 2006 "Yowie" book - that in 1930, in Dunmore, New South Wales, Australia, Mr. N. Hambly was out shooting foxes when he saw an animal he thought was a bear above the Terragong Swamp.
Contemporary Press articles I found show that this was probably a series of true events, the encounter by Mr. Hambly probably occured in April 1930. The Press told that several other local people reported independently about a beast on the prowl in the area. Press sources also indicated that the beast was probably a lioness that escaped from a circus some times before.
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[Ref. kr1:] "THE KIAMA REPORTED AND ILLAWARRA JOURNAL" NEWSPAPER:
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What Is It?DOES A WILD BEAST PROWL?A considerable scare is felt on some farms at Dunmore in the vicinity of Connolly's range, as some strange animal prowls in the vicinity, and has been at a distance seen above Terragong Swamp. While fox shooting, Mr. N. Hambly got about the best glimpse of it and thinks it is a wild bear, that perhaps has escaped from some menagerie or circus. Mr. W. McEnroe came upon what he thought was the animal's lair in the bush and on Mr. Downey (to whom we are indebted for this interesting chronicle) going to investigate, he heard strange and weird cries emanating from the bush, which sounded to him like a carnivorous animal, and thinking that the beast was evidently on the prowl looking for supper, thought discretion the better part of valour and made tracks for home, through the wild and rugged country, that is the fastness of this wild and disturbing occupant. |
[Ref. nw1:] "THE NOWRA LEADER" NEWSPAPER:
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Does A Wild Beast Prowl?Says the Kiama "Independent": — A considerable scare is felt in some farm at Dunmore in the vicinity of Connolly's range, as some strange animal prowls in the vicinity, and has been at a distance seen above Terragong Swamp. While fox shooting, Mr. N. Hambly got about the best glimpse of it and thinks it is a wild bear, that perhaps has escaped from some menagerie or circus. Mr. W. Enroe came upon what he thought was the animal's lair in tho bush, and on Mr Downey (to whom we are indebted for this interesting chronicle) going to investigate, he heard strange and weird cries emanating from the bush, which sounded to them like a carniferous animal, and thinking that the beast was evidently on the prowl looking for supper, thought discretion the better part of valour and made tracks for home, through the wild and rugged country, that is the fastness of this wild and disturbing occupant. |
[Ref. as1:] "THE SINGLETON ARGUS" NEWSPAPER:
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LIONESS AT LARGE IN SOUTHSHOOTING PARTY OUTA lioness, which escaped from a circus on the South Coast recently is believed to be prowling in the Robertson-Dunmore district, somewhere between Omega and Foxground. The animal was seen one day last week within 30 yards by J. B. K. Jones, of Newcastle, while rabbit shooting in the Jamboroo area, and she sauntered quietly away in the direction of Omega. About a month ago a wild beast was noticed going after foxes at Dunmore. Sounds, were heard and traces seen near Connelly's Range, where there is plenty of cover. A few days before this, a strange animal is reported to have run off with a half carcass of sheep from a farm at Robertson, and later it was again seen at Foxground. Constable Walters has got together 40 sporting dogs from the locality and a large number of district riflemen forming a shooting party, and expects to make a kill shortly. |
The same article was also published in:
The Scone Advocate, New South Wales, Australia, page 4, May 16, 1930.
The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser, New South Wales, Australia, page 1, May 9, 1930.
[Ref. kr2:] "THE KIAMA REPORTED AND ILLAWARRA JOURNAL" NEWSPAPER:
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Lioness at Large?LOCAL WARNING.The local police have received warning from Inspector Gibson, of Wollongong, who in turn had instructions from metropolitan headquarters, to warn all persons shooting in rough country around the Jamberoo district, that a wild animal is at large. It would seem that the report of Mr. J. R. E. Jones, J.P., of Newcastle was received by the Metropolitan Superintendent of Police to the effect that, while rabbit shooting in Jamberoo on Tuesday of last week, he saw a beast which he took for a lioness, sixty yards away. It made no attempt to attack him but saultered quietly away in the direction of Omega. This is rather a wide statement, considering the relative positions of Jamberoo and Omega with the Saddleback Range in between. The last time a wild beast was seen on the prowl, was a month or so ago, when Mr. Hanly, of Rocklow Road, Dunmore, saw it when after foxes, and sounds and traces were heard and seen by Messrs. W. Downey and McEnroe in the vicinity of Connolly's Range, not far from the Whispering Galley, which would provide plenty of cover. A report a few days previous told of a beast at Robertson that took off half a a carcase of mutton from a farm. Now another story is told by a resident seeing asimilar animal on the prowl at Foxground. Contable Walters, of Gerringong, however, with a lengthy affidavit before him, places the greatest reliance upon the statement of Mr. Jones, who has been staying with Mr. O. McClelland as a guest. Reputable people can swear to his veracity and reliability. Furthermore Mr. Jones is himself an honorary magistrate. He went rabbit shooting towards Crawley Forest, which locally is not referred to as the Jamberoo district, though at the boundary of the municipality. It was quite in keeping with the knowin habits of a lioness to slink off in the daylight hours when at dusk or in the night she would be ready to attack. Constable Walters is gathering together a hunting complement of about forty dogs, some of fine sporting quality, that should at least set such a beast on the "go" if it is still in the wooded locality where it was seen. He will be accomepanied by district riflemen - even a sporting cleric and noted shodt, has signified his willingness to take part in the "Safari," and if there is a lioness in the vicinity, its doom is pretty well sealed. Therefore, we await with anticipation, some sporting news of unusual interest. Such an aggregation of reports points to the existence of a "Wandering one" of unusual appearance to the quadrupeds to which we are accustomed. To frisk from Robertson to Dunmore, over the mountain to Omega and thence to Foxground takes a bit of going. Some jocularly surmise it is the Jamberoo Tiger returning to visit the former haunts of twenty years ago. That animal was seen in Jamberoo road, according to reputable authority, and the youths of that day cut off for a time, many a moonlight ride. The cars nowadays can so easily exceed the speed limit of a lioness, leopard, jaguar, tiger or bear, that no one' seems to be worried at a casual meeting by the wayside with it in the flesh. All we hope that as a tourist, it won't come to the Jamberoo Council meeting and lay a complaint regarding the manly names that have been accredited to it. It might be just as well to revert to day meetings until it departs to fresh fields and lairs that are new. |
[Ref. pr1:] PETER ROGERSON:
1930.DUNMORE (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA) Mr N Hambly was out shooting foxes when he saw a [sic] animal he thought was a bear above the Terrangong [sic] Swamp. Healy and Cropper 2006 p218 case 54 citing Moss Vale Post 25 April 1930 citing an undated issue of Kiama Independent |
"Skeptical" ufologist Peter Rogerson [pr1] used to publish such stories in his INTCAT ufology catalogue in order to demonstrate that "imagination" and "invention" always existed, and thus explain close encounters of the third kind reports.
In this case, needless to say that this has nothing to do intrinsically with UFOs or UFO occupants.
But also, I do not think that this shows "imagination" or "invention" at work. Animals such as bears and lions or lionesses do sometimes escape from circuses and menageries, and the Press seems to make pretty clear that several local men saw or heard an animal, and that a lioness did escape from a circus some time ago. None of the witnesses seems to have exaggerated anything or misinterpreted anything or invented anything.
Of course, it is apparent that the newspapers were more interested in the sensation of the encounters than in actually interviewing witnesses to get more details and better descriptions of the animal and the events.
Of course, also, the interpretation as a "Yowie" (Australia's own purported "Bigfoot"), as seems to be the case in [hc1], is clearly unsupported.
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Probable lioness escaped from circus.
* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.
| Main Author: | Patrick Gross |
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| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Created/Changed By: | Date: | Change Description: |
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| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | September 19, 2018 | Creation, [kr1], [nw1], [as1], [kr2], [pr1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | September 19, 2018 | First published. |
