At this suburban reserve, where locals swear they saw a UFO land in the 1960s, the strangest encounters are actually with nature, writes Mick Connolly.
There is a secret place in Melbourne that is known around the world. Search the internet for the Grange Reserve in Clayton South and you can find stories of a UFO and government conspiracy. Two hundred people saw an apparent flying saucer buzz Westall primary and secondary schools. It hovered, hung, circled, posed for photographs and, after 20 minutes, rocketed off a few hundred metres to land in a paddock at the Grange.
Police came and confiscated a camera; nothing to see here. The army cordoned off a neat circle of burnt and flattened ground at the reserve. Teachers warned students to say nothing of what had happened.
This was 1966.
Westall '66: A Suburban UFO Mystery is the documentary that exposed the tale on our televisions.
Whether you believe in UFOs or not, incredible events still happen at the Grange. The truth is stranger than science fiction.
This is a fascinating story, and one that I was unaware of. To read more, click here.