Location: Kuluin, Queensland
Date: 18th of October, 2008
The purpose of this trip was to examine the area where the boys in the report claim to have seen a yowie type creature, and make an evaluation of the likelihood of their story. The evaluation would be made by entering the environmental park, and through a canvass of the park on foot, identify the presence of any Yowie signatures, usually present in areas where a yowie has been reported as seen.
Upon arrival at the Environmental Park, I observed the Kuluin State Primary School, school oval to run immediately alongside it. At this time, a cricket game was in progress on the school oval, with a crowd of spectators. To begin, this was exactly accurate with the setting the boys described in the report.
The environmental Park itself appeared to be a large section of Australian bush of only about 100 metres wide, by about 400 metres in length. It consisted of mature trees about 30 feet in height, and possessed an untainted quality, much like a typical rainforest. This was in stark contrast to the small shopping centre across the road, the primary school, and numerous unit blocks and residences, surrounding the park.
As I entered the park, I was immediately delighted by it’s richness. Given the secluded terrain, yet closeness to suburbia, my thumbs shot way up to it being a possible place a Yowie may be tempted to visit. Another plus to the report!
Continuing along, I located a number of indicators which were photographed as I found them. In my walk over to where the bush meets the school oval, I noticed how dark the bush was due to the height of the trees and being lower than the oval, as compared to the oval. I also found a cricket ball in the bush, substantiating the boys claim, they were looking for a ball in the bush during their encounter. Thumbs up to the report again!
Following, are photos I took inside the park. The photos begin with general views of the type of bush, then to located Yowie indicators, and then finally finishing with the finding of footprints of significance to this case. After the photos, a summary of the evidence will be presented, and the strength of the report based on physical observations and evidence evaluated.
Of particular interest is a creek which carves it’s way through the centre of this ‘Environmental Park.’, providing a steady water supply to a number of it’s inhabitants. As can be seen, the ‘scrub’ of this ‘park’ is surprisingly dense. Goannas and scrub turkeys were a dime a dozen as I made my way through.
Remarkably, standing in the middle of this ‘Environmental Park’, it’s easy to forget you are in the middle of suburban Maroochydore, and not deep in the bowls of a remote rainforest.
A distinguishing feature which has marked many a Yowie hotspot, is the odd tree strikingly broken about waist height to a human adult, and bent over to create a right angle.
A number of fallen tree limbs were located resting one on top of another, in a crude tee pee formation. Due to the way the limbs meet each other, and interlock, it appears these limbs were deliberately moved to their resting positions.
Two slender trees in the middle of the frame are bent and on the same angle, almost parallel. The tree on the left in the frame is noticeably broken towards the base to achieve the angle. This tree particularly, appears to have been broken deliberately to achieve the angle, for reasons unknown.
Three trees in the park, again, each in the same angle from the ground, with the closest tree in the photo, broken towards the base.
Due to the presence of other documented Yowie environmental traits, the creek bed was next to be examined closely. It did not disappoint!
Upstream in the creek, a number of clearly defined footprint impressions were located in the creek bed. Due to recent rain, and the fine water soaked mud, where the prints were located, it appears the prints are relatively fresh. Having been an art student and studied human anatomy, the prints all exhibited a sharper angle from the big toe to the little toe, as would be expected from regular human footprints. Thus, the position of the little toe was further down the side of the feet. (A full toe length further down) Note: This irregularity cannot be explained away by different angles of the feet entering the mud, as it presented in each footprint in two different surfaces, and three different angles of surface.
The area of the creek bed where the prints were predominantly located, is in close proximity to an old rope swing. Increasing the likelihood of the prints being children, the prints were cast in plaster nevertheless. It presented a good opportunity to refine some rusty casting techniques, and preserve some odd looking footprints.
If it was not for the curious anomaly present in each footprint, I would have automatically ruled them all as children’s prints, due to the relatively close proximity of this part of the Creek bed to suburban households, and the presence of the rope swing. In hindsight, I’m glad I took the casts.
In comparing the casts I took, with one of the casts I took the week previously, with Pixie Byrnes, the same toe position anomaly presents. Also of note, I was at the location of the footprints for about three hours, and not one person – adult or child, ventured near or into the park – being a Saturday morning.
The footprints are of about a size seven or eight in male adult shoe size, consistent with the boys description of the creature they saw, being about a human adult size, rather than a seven or eight foot tall, giant. Of note, the boys did not state they saw the creature stand upright, which may have helped them conclusively determine it’s height.
IN SUMMARY:
The location being a thick bush setting with flowing fresh water creek down the middle, teeming with various wildlife, and being in close proximity to human activity (a primary school no less!) is perfectly in line with many of the locations Yowies have been known to surface.
Five Yowie indicators were identified inside this stretch of bush. These include, a right angle broken tree, tree limbs stacked to a crude tee pee, trees pushed over to form parallel angles from the ground, a limb gently resting at a 45 degree angle on a tree, and finally the presence of unusual bare footprints on the creek bed.
Of highest interest is the footprint find. The footprints suggest a striking similarity in the toe anomaly presented, to identified prints obtained by other Yowie researchers at other Yowie locations.
The argument for the boys report being reliable is extremely strong based on these findings.
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