SAS tackle Ormeau Yowie

[Dean Harrison]

After 15 months of sitting on this top secret report, we have finally had permission to release it. This is going to blow your socks off folks and we can assure you that it is all true and independantly verified.

Our good friends who filed this report were requested to assess the situation after a number of agressive enounters from the area became disturbing.

Our concern were the local children.

There *is* more to this report in terms of follow ups, however this will do for now.

Report as follows:

1430

10th October 2003 - Area of Operations (AO) Ormeau Area

Weather Conditions - 5/8ths cloud cover, strong to very strong southerly

Area - Steeply sloping bushland developing into semi-dense bush with some
selectively cleared areas, closest dwelling approx 1.5km.

After drop off by my second, (name witheld - dubbed N) conducted a good
recce of the area. After speaking to Jason (Witness) I was sure this was the area which he described as there was evidence of tree felling and clearing still apparent. N had a good 3km to run back after securing vehicle. We both then hid our gear etc. and conducted an extensive 2hr recce down and about in a quartering search encompassing 150 degrees. No evidence of any recent human activity although bush was extremely quiet except for the wind (which may have been a factor). No evidence of anything other than a few roo and fox tracks barely discernible.

1750 - Arrived back at gear and set up sniping/listening position in dense
lantana 15m down slope slightly right. From outside assessed camouflage and found it to be good with just cams on, with Ghillie suit (yowie suit lol)
excellent. GenIII headmount monocular nvg, 10x Unertl high lightsource scope gave good-very good view of target area after dark. Weapon was zeroed and grouped at 200m one day prior, shooting less than minute of arc at 200.

Loaded with match class 7.62x51mm boatail Nato rounds. Personal weapons
carried in quick draw thigh holsters (Sig Sauer P226 .45 standard issue,
commercially available)

1830 - N left for scout down road in shorts and tshirt in case he ran into
anybody and to also give me a chance to settle in and listen/look etc.

1850 - N arrives back, nothing to report, as previously decided he dresses
just in cams and proceeds to set up a small camp with fire (enclosed due to
wind) and began to cook a few snags and mushrooms. Communications was via UHF taccoms throat mics and earpiece (standard issue).



1930 - Nothing to report (NTR)

2030 - NTR - Wind dropped off to negligible

2130 - Sweep with nvg's picked up movement at my 10, N reported that he
could hear twigs breaking etc. Closer look with scope at 4x revealed a fox,
probably coming in due to smell of cooking meat.

2230 - NTR

0113 11th Oct - Heavy movement heard through undergrowth at exactly my 12 by both N and I. Becoming very overcast and nv less effective. Sounded close and very heavy, no other sounds, surrounding area very quiet, no bird or other noise. N went to ground directly below my position in good cover.
Waited, nothing further. Believe that whatever it was, was quite close to
edge of bush and may have either seen or smelt N's campsite and either
watched or quietly went away.

Nothing to report until 0423 - N asleep in position below me, loud crash
like large sapling falling and loud thump followed by extremely loud
scream/growl. May have been target or may have been koalas. N awake and at ready position, nothing seen in direction through n/v no further sounds, decided to stay locked and cocked regardless.



0600 - N proceeded on 360 degree patrol sweep around AO, found largish dead tree freshly broken on ground in approximate area of sound last night, no footprints but some scuffing around base and fresh tears in wood about 7ft up length. Pulled out of position and had breakfast, couple of hours sleep
etc.

1123 - Bush surrounding AO suddenly very still, acknowledged by N and
myself, kept still (not in position). 5 mins, nothing heard or seen, noises
returned (may have been fox again).

1300 - Having seen no-one we decided to set up a defensive perimeter with 4 rattle traps, 3 illumination flares and 3 tripped flashbangs at varying
distances across open face of area and one each over crest of hill behind as
we felt exposed from behind throughout night before. Completed perimeter at 1500, returned to site for drink etc.

1700 - Final patrol sweep, assessed trips as functioning, returned and got
into position. N took two IR fireflies to set off if need be. These are like
a flashing high powered strobe but emit in Infrared spectrum and can only be
seen by those with IR or NV gear.

1830 - NTR

1930 - Light rain began to fall, no wind, no problem.

2030 - NTR

2100 - Rain stopped, N started fire and began to cook snags, bacon and
mushrooms for his feast tonight. (bastard, I'm starving).

2122 - Silence suddenly, heavy movement to our 10 oclock moving through 11.
N reports that he can see a large shape at his 12, my 2. Swept area with n/v
and scope at 5x, id'd shape and confirmed contact with N.



Contact Report Follows -

At approx 2125 a large (over 7ft) tall figure was identified at a distance
of approx 45m standing left side on to my position facing N's position more
or less straight on to him. I went to instant (safety off, round loaded,
target identified). N remained still although he later said that he lost
sight of target and also went to instant. I tracked figure moving through nv
and scope across front of position, looked like it deliberately missed the
rattle traps. Kept N updated on position of target as he began a tactical
withdrawl to my position. Unfortunately we were upwind of target giving a
good indication of our positions although we had both not showered for 4
days and the ghillie suit is covered in hessian/cow s#@t/dirt/leaves i.e.
never washed.

At no time did I or we believe that what we saw was a human.

After approx 30mins of walking back and forth across the SW arc of site,
target seemed to withdraw.



2213 - No_2 flashbang was tripped closely followed by No_1. Trips were 10m
apart. Came alert and went to instant. N in position with nv sight, my nv
blacked by flash and eyes taking a long time to come back.

N reports heavymovement at 12 oclock, No_3 flashbang tripped, large bang, loud screaminggrunting noise heard thrashing etc. nv came back online, eyes adjusted, Ntracked target and gave me the dope, id'd target at approx 50m, large (male) hominid proceeding quickly across our front, at instant, decided to take shot as target entered my line of sight. Target switched direction, N tracking via nv, took hurried shot now to scare it off. 1st shot close by left shoulder, remaining five shots put down in area last seen at tree, later all confirmed hits, no exit marks, safe shoot. Went tactical, dumped long arm, switched to personal weapons and began to track target via noise.
Still loud crashing, grunting and occasional scream approx 100m ahead
closing.

Moving at fast patrol pace, stopped at edge of medium sized
clearing, target now stopped, no noise, swept area for a good 3mins, no
sighting. N threw three flashbangs across our front and one to our rear.
Noise began again, more aggressive this time, smaller trees at our 9 oclock
shaking. N put 11 shots into a stump at 20m range, crashing began again.
Pursuit had been ongoing now for approx 2hrs in a NW/NNW direction. We were slowly falling behind to a distance of about 200m.

Came to large clearing, cleared and target id'd via sound at our 11 oclock. Both N and I tossed last 2 flashbangs in area of target, loud enraged screaming retreated, N and myself emptied magazines into a tree rapidly and began a backtrack to our site. Nothing more heard or seen. Gathered up spent shells, pulled out.

0120 approx - Pulled in laying up position and packed up, dismantled trips.
We were worried that police may have been alerted by noise we made etc.
Sanitised area as best we could and left paralelling Barrenjoey to vehicle
hide.

0155 - Successfully egressed area.



Dean,

Checks were done by both of us the following day and last weekend
(18th-19th) we staged the same trap although it was pissing down rain.
Nothing seen, a large sweep out to our last contact point (verified by
bullet holes in tree) gave absolutely no indication of activity. Many prints
were seen left by foxes, roos, birds, cats etc. nothing even vaguely human.

I believe we did what we set out to do, a clean operation with no reason to
tap anything. I am of the opinion that the target was scared away, and
although territorial, has now been scared off for good. I will continue to
check area. Some photos were taken through the kitesite but are almost
black, standby (when I get them from N) for recce photos during the day of
tree, etc.


[Dean] - Well done guys, it sounds like this one WAS a real danger. God knows what it would have done to me if I didn't make it to open ground in time. You agreed that its a threat, but I wonder just how much of a threat? If, again, you were alone at night and un-armed and you were deeply obligated well into the forest at night - what, in your opinion would be the outcome for you? If its not a good prognosis, then would you agree that others may not have been so fortunate in the past?

[Reply] - Dean, Hard for me to say exactly, although as stated previously it scared 2 SASR snipers who have both been in the Gulf, Somalia, Timor and Afghanistan enough to want to retreat. I think that if you were alone and unarmed well deep into the bush and this thing decided it didn't like you, well, that's all she wrote. I certainly believe that people may have been taken or attacked by it as it was certainly aggressive enough. Imagine anything else having two armed blokes in pursuit, with loud bangs and gunfire. Anything or anybody else would have been long gone, but this thing seemed like we had to really force it every step.

I don't like to think if it had actually been able to flank us or if we were unarmed. I reckon the flashbangs were the big factor in scaring it off. So in short after that ramble, yes I think it is possible that had any people met this creature alone, in it's territory they would be very lucky to get out unscathed if at all. As I stated, it was probably one of the scariest few hours I have experienced.

By the way I neglected to mention that at only one time did we detect any
sulphorous like smell and that was during the initial contact when it set
off the trips. The smell seemed to linger in the area when we went through
there after it.

[momo]

Very cool story. Why would you dump a longarm after trying to shoot this thing and chase it with sidearms? Cripes, if the thing is that dangerous it seems a bit bonks to go after with pea shooters, and it seems odd that that is protocol.

Really great sighting/report!

-momo

[Dean Harrison]

The answer to your question was just relayed to me Momo -


"As to why I dumped the shooter, well it is fairly standard practice especially as we were entering thick scrub with alot of stuff that could catch on it. A rifle like that is fairly useless at close range and as it was thick bush I just dropped it where my laying up position was, it also had the bipod attached to make it more difficult. Thats why, I just couldn't justify taking it on what looked to be a long and fast run for no good reason, plus I didn't want to knock it out of zero as it took me ages to do it the day before with a new sight."

[momo]

Have you ever been shot in the chest by one of these pea shooters? They went tactical, so they dumped their longarms.

I've got news for you...if I was an 8+ foot adrenaline enraged, flashbanged "humanoid" that weighed 5, 6, 700+ pounds...yes, it's a pea-shooter. I've seen grizzly shot with powerful sidearms before with ZERO effect.

[momo]

The answer to your question was just relayed to me Momo -


"As to why I dumped the shooter, well it is fairly standard practice especially as we were entering thick scrub with alot of stuff that could catch on it. A rifle like that is fairly useless at close range and as it was thick bush I just dropped it where my laying up position was, it also had the bipod attached to make it more difficult. Thats why, I just couldn't justify taking it on what looked to be a long and fast run for no good reason, plus I didn't want to knock it out of zero as it took me ages to do it the day before with a new sight."

Thanks Dean, and to the reporter also, that's seems a logical explanation re snagging on scrub...not an armed forces guy so it struck me as odd that it would be protocol.

There has been a couple times where I would like to call in some pro's. I'd love to hear a little more about how they were called in...by who, officially, non-officially, etc...

I'm new here though, so not my place...thanks again Dean!

[Dean Harrison]

For gosh sakes, you can't compare a Grizzly with a Yowie?

Two totally differing trains of thought. Nothing alike.

I've witnessed this creature first hand. It nearly got me - and others. It's a thinker....

The SAS crew had a confrontaion upon request - and the report shows exactly how it panned out.

DMH

[momo]

I'm a strong believer, but I'm typically skeptical about stories in general when they first come out. Hope I wasn't coming on too strong, trained as an attorney so that always seems to come out

[Dean Harrison]

Thats fine Momo. We've known these guys for about 4 - 5 years now and this particular event we've had independantly verified and held under our hats for over 15 months.

Believe me - it's real.

They are online and currently monitoring this thread - so if anyone has questions for them, go right ahead.

DMH

[Wally]

For people to place themselves in this position they must be incredibly naive or just plain nutters.
A canadian hunting guide was asked why he used such a big powerffull rifle as a bear stopper. His reply was,"I cant find anything bigger"
This would be the case of an enraged yowie.
It is incredulous that anyone would anticipate using a service rifle with service ammunition. A .308 Winchester hunting
round of heaviest weight would be most appropriote.
Anyway why kill the poor buggers or anticipate killing them.
It would only be investigating an intrusion into its patch.
I find the while kit and kaboodle to be of very poor taste.
Wally

[Dean Harrison]

Naive Wally? These guys are the best of the best and some of Australia's finest.

They have served all over the World in more dangerous action than we could ever imagine. Not only that, but this is not the only time they have had contact with these creatures.....

Yes, it IS enraged. No question about that, but there's no need to insinuate that these men are Naive.

Also, there was no mention of killing it in the report? Due to nobody but ourselves having the full details, how could anyone make such an assumption? The people you are talking about train others on the art of killing.

Poor taste? I was one of the victems Wally, along with many others. If you went through what we have with this one, I would take that statement more seriously. Our concern was the children in the area. Children that have also been the subject of major danger by this one.

Like to talk about the guy who was taken in 97' after it nearly got me? Just perhaps we still have more info up our sleeves that we're letting on........?

Please don't critisise our contacts. They are very important to us and have more encounters up THEIR sleeves than most.

DMH

[Al]

Wow I must say this is an amazing report Dean, and thanks for finally sharing it with us.

As for Ormeau, isn't that a town just south of Brisbane? I'm amazed that an encounter like that has happened so close to suburbia (well relatively close).

So if the SAS are/were involved does it now mean that the military at least are viewing these things as "real"? Or do they take a different standpoint on them.

[dawn]

Al, that was my question.....was the team there officially, with full millitary authority, or were they there on there own initiative?

[Ruby Lang]

Hi All,

I believe the 'sulphourous-like smell' mentioned in the 'SAS' report is yet another characteristic of the kind of paranormal phenomena often reported in these cases. Similar smells have been reported in some big cat sightings as well. Makes you wonder (if you've been thinking at all, that is...).

Ruby

[Darren]

Great story ! I'd love to hear ALL of the details ! With out all of the night gear , what do you think the chances would be , of seeing it ! Would you have still been able to make out the 7ft figure in the dark , or would it have been to far away , or to think of bush and or to dark ? You must have been able to see him very clearly to make out its sex !
Do you think the one that's back there now is the same one , or maybe another one taking over the territory ? I would think it was the same one !
Are you's planning on another mission to the area again , now that the activity has increased ?

[Plesiosaurus]

Congratulations all round on a well documented report from all involved.

But the whole episode raises issues of concern for me.

A few years ago a surfer down my way had his leg bitten off by a 5 metre white pointer. Before too long some superhero guy from Qld sailed in & caught the thing, exhibited it in tents around the coastal towns for a while, and now it's finished up rotting away in a glass tank in a tinpot museum on the highway.

Whether it's sharks, crocs or now aggressive yowies, we can't seem to leave them alone and accept that if we occupy their domain we are at risk.

Havent we already urbanised enough of the habitat of our native fauna? Do we really need now to charge in with guns & bombs into the territory of an animal about which we understand so little that its existence is not even officially confirmed? Isnt this a case of instead of moving out the yowie thats causing the people problems, move out the people who are causing the yowie problems?

[momo]

Cass, no worries. I'm a bit of a spazz, not a problem!

[momo]

The SAS crew had a confrontaion upon request - and the report shows exactly how it panned out.

DMH

Dean, is that an official term- confrontation upon request - or a term of art? That's kind of cool if citizens can actually make that request.
I think I'd be laughed off the phone if I tried to call the Rangers in on a Bigfoot problem.

I miss Oz, it's going to be -20 Farenheit today here in Minnesota!

[Just Curious]

I have a question regarding this report. If this was a dangerous Yowie and there were children endangered by it - where was it chased off to that now it is no longer a danger to others?

And another stupid question since I'm from the US, what is a flashbang?

[Darren]

These 2 fellas are SAS , with sophisticated equipment , and the way I read the story , they were unloading into trees ! Clean shots ! I think they were just driving the animal out of the area with alot of noise using flash bangs ect . . . With their highly tuned skills , I'm thinking that if they were after a kill , they would more then likely have made one !

[Dean Harrison]

I'll try to field all these questions at once.

Somebody mentioned that it's great that anyone can call in some SAS to deal with a problem. Not quite as simple as dialling 1800-SAS!

We have known these guys for about 4 years or so. We were contacted for an exchange of information, as they have bumped into these creatures during training. We've kept in touch ever since and hope to work together more often in the future.

There has been no mention harming anything - just research.

A flashbang is a device that once tripped, momentarily blinds you aponent.

On or off the record? Who knows.....

The mission was to scare it off and teach the creature the dangers of man. It had been far too agressive, confrontaional and dangerous. It had no fear. Seems it didn't work, as it's was back the very next week and is still roaming the woods in the area.

One of the main reasons (in my opinion) to why its so confrontational is due to a lot of its traditional land being developed. When the Pacific Hwy was being built into 8 lanes, a witness who nearly hit it in her car stated it looked disorientated.

Jason the logger was confronted after felling a tree. It chased him all the way out and Jason never returned to finish the job.

You can feel sorry for it, but I don't. Not after it tried to get hold of me. I was VERY lucky that I stopped when I did to make a phone call and didn't jog down that little track through the bush - because it was sitting there waiting for someone to come along. Whoever jogged down there that night was without doubt never comming back.

Instead, it heard my voice while on the phone and stalked me. I was also fortunate that I was well enough on cleared ground to get a head start as the planned attack began. You really had to be there to get a feel for exactly how it happened. It had bad intentions..... It was totally unprovoked.

If those kids didn't have their hut close to open ground, they said they also wouldn't have made it out. It totally destroyed the hut as they sttod in the field looking back.

So obviously being a parent myself, it was time to do something. Someone had to before it got messy.

It didn't take our edvice and is still there. I just hope that nobody gets hurt.

DMH

[Tish]

Great story, I'll be following it with interest.
How populated is the area this yowie lives in?

[Dean Harrison]

On one side of the road, quite poulated, but theres a big wide bush corridor separating two estates. It's a large area teaming with water and wildlife - This is where I was chased.

Most of the homes are acreages.

On the other side of the road - more acreages that lead up a hill. There is also bushland that it uses to cross this road on occassion.

Over the hill is solid bush, rain forest and alike that lead all the way to Mt Tamborine and beyond. You could walk from there to Southern Vitoria without being seen if you had to. All a part of the Great Dividing Range - very vast.

Jason the logger asked a local woman who lives in the area bordering on the forest if she had witnessed anything strange? She replied with several stories which included a night prowler, dogs going crazy, banging on walls and doors at night and her son's "Imaginary Friend" who lives in the forest (!).

DMH

[Tish]

Thanks Dean,
Sounds like the perfect spot for a yowie.
Have you had any sightings from the more populated area or does it mainly hang around the bush and farms?

[Dean Harrison]

Sightings on both sides of the road. I have a good idea where it crosses, but I'm starting to think there's more than one.

There's a 4WD track right smack in the middle of the forest and I'm surprised we havn't had more sightings from these people, as I believe its heavily used, particularly on weekends. Having said that, when I was out there a few weeks back, we had a 4WD come through close to midnight and you could hear it miles away.

One of our men on the ground there, Derek, has found a great place. Last weekend they had to hide because the thing was very close and going absolutely "MAD"!
It was yelling and screaming for a long time at something and as a result, all the dogs from nearby acerages were going crazy in response. Derek said the vocal capacity was astonishing, so loud in fact that he phoned me so I could listen to it. It was apparently quite a scary experience for them.

After that night he rushed out to buy a digital recorder!

I remember when it chased me, all the dogs went crazy. The creature was THAT loud, I expected people to be rushing out of their homes - seriously!

DMH

[Nigel&Jeannie]

Hi Dean,

Just read the report from SAS .

Now a few things make sense with what we found at that Site!


Like the Bloody Big bullet hole we found that had taken the side of a tree out.

Strange at the time, but not now.
Also in that week after they where there, we stumbled onto what we believe was thier Base Camp as the area had been Raked just as said in the report....

Nothing left on ground in a area aprox.6mtr sq with fire in centre in remote bush.
Asked a family member who used to be in army and his response was Live fire exercise.
Usaully done to save time when retreating out of areas where they MUST have all rounds accounted for.


All matter around camp is removed in garbage bags, sticks and all.
Also found where they had cut a track for a vehicle to get access. Alot of work for Happy Campers.

Yet again Strange at the time but Not now.

We are starting to wonder about a guy that who followed us around the same time in the middle of the night.
Driving up the range with no lights etc.

When we aproached him he was in a new car with a dog and strange hard plastic case on back seat.

Dressed in Collared shirt and dress pants.
Hardly the sort of cloths one would wear out bush but just how car was set up.

Hard case on back seat took up back seat apart from small area for dog.
Passenger side seat had nothing on it but thier was a heap of paper work in between.
Also that night we where Whistled at buy someone that had some how come within 5 metres on the other side of some grass and trees of us while we listened through the para bolic. Bloody good I tell you.

Ask Dave - We Shat and didnt stick around, dropped the clutch and gone, until Jeannie told us to go back and listen. Plus to get the smokes we had left on the bonnet.


I think we saw them and they seen us as we drove up barej. road.. Parked in the bush was a white looked like small truck.

Driver was looking at us as we drove past nearly stopped and asked if they needed a hand.

Looked as if they where unloading something.

The list goes on with that place something always not right if it aint the bush its the people u see around it.

Will be thier again next week .
Cant Resist....
Cheers ....

[Darren]

Hey there Nig/Jeannie ! How's the PC going ? Fixed it ? I've got some new softwear that yous are welcome to use . Give us ring ! I'll be heading out the arvo' to lay that tape deck and do a bit of a sit and listen ( my knees are playin' up on me ). There's still no word from that fella , so I'll ring him Monday !

[Indy]

Could I please just ask the question whether or not these encounters were committed to film/video or are we, once again, left with verbal reports only.

Don't get me wrong, I am neither a skeptic or a stirrer. These encounters appear to have been the perfect opportunity to bang off a few shots with a camera before banging of a few shots with a weapon.

[Dean Harrison]

Having been in these situations "at Night time in the thick of the forest with little visability" while being in a more than edgy predicament - I can understand how one doesn't sit back and play with a camera when you feel your life is in danger. Especially when a nasty one is screaming at you, raising hell is if it will rip your head off and you have no way safely back to your vehicle.

You have "NO" range with camera with a little flash at night in thick bush unless it is right on top of you - yet THIS is the only thing you are trying to avoid!

Believe me............... often when things get hot, a camera is the very last thing you think of..........

I can provide a lot of first hand examples if you like?


DMH

[dawn]

If an angry Yowie was comming my way the only use I'd have for a camera would be to through it at the critter! LOL! Truely, when you are in that sort of situation, getting out alive is all thats going through your mind.

[Alex]

Hell yeah, that's what I like to see. Some SAS people getting all dirty chasing the damn thing around.

All in all, very good work. Hope to see a follow-up mission.

Had an idea.. for those of you with gun licenses.. ever thought about getting a paintball marker? Go in at night, attempt to "tag" said 'friend' and yeah, see if it is the same one, or if there's a clan/family of them.