Location: Batemans Bay, New South Wales
Event: Footprint Find
Date: Sept 2, 1977
Date of report: Wednesday the 7th of September, 1977.
Source: The Examiner (South Coast).
Witness: Kevin Connel
Batemans Bay Oyster farmer, Kevin Connel, last week found three giant footprints in the sand on Barclay’s Island, upstream from the bridge in the Clyde River.
Alan Small, Bill Johnson and Leo Latta were among others working nearby who were called across to examine the prints, and are all at a loss to explain their origin. Mr Small, who measured the prints, which were of bare feet, beside his own size 10 boots, said that the prints were at-least one third longer.
He estimated they were about 18 inches long, and at the widest part, almost 6 inches wide.
He said he weighs 15 stone, but treading as hard as he could beside them, could make no-where as deep an impression. There were two prints of the left foot, spaced further apart than the stride of a tall man. The impressions were clear, and the two left footprints were exactly similar, while the right foot had a difference in shape and angle of the little toe.
It appeared that who or what made the prints had stepped from a wooden landing, made the long strides, then trodden on a piece of wooden board which was retaining a step built up of crushed Oyster shell, breaking it down.
One possible explanation of the prints is that they were made by a practical joker, but the exactly similar nature of the two left prints makes this hard to believe.
Mr Small said that if the prints were made artificially, the person who made them did a very clever and detailed job, and that as an area of sand around was completely unmarked – he could not understand how the job was done.
What was thought to be a forth print was found on another part of the Island, but this was in loose sand and was not clearly defined.
One further possible explanation is that of a Yowie, driven from the Monaro Plains by the recent much publicised “Yowie Hunt”, has taken up residence on the Island. Leo Latta is one person who is taking no risks, He was previously living on the Island, but now has shifted across to town, for safety.
© Copyright AYR
Australian Yowie Research - Data Base
www.yowiehunters.com