MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES: TWO AUSTRALIAN CRYPTID STORIES - FOR TANIA WOODLIFFE AND WEIRD WEEKENDERS

These two Australian stories from 1903 and 1935 are for Tania especially, being from Australia and all the rest who attended the recent Weird Weekend

MYSTERIOUS QUADRUPED

A strange animal is causing excitement among the residents on the Latrobe River, near Moe, Australia according to the “Daily Mail”. The creature is described as being about 3 ft high, has black hair, a short neck, and long tail. It travels along pantingly, with its tongue out, almost touching the ground.

When first seen it was at a tub of milk at Cosgriff`s farmstead. Dogs were set upon it, when the animal, darting through the woodwork of the gate and tearing it off its hinges, made off to the river bank, and there disappeared. It has been seen repeatedly since, and several shots have been fired at it, but without effect. (1)

Now from the Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton,Qld) of August 1^st 1935:

WEIRD MONSTERS
FURTHER REPORTS
Two from Victoria

“Remarkable Footprints”
Melbourne July 31^st

Victoria appears to be in danger of being overrun with fearsome monsters unknown to science unless something is done about it. Hard on the heels of the reappearance of the Barwon Heads sea serpent near Queenscliff comes a report from Airey`s Inlet of the appearance of a sea monster, which appears to be a younger and smaller relative of the creature seen at Queenscliff.

J.Davis, of Aairey`s Hotel, who saw it lying on the fringe of the surf, said the body was about 10 or 12 ft. long and about 2 ½ or 3 ½ ft. in girth. The head was a light grey in colour, and it had a sparse coat of darker coloured hair. It had big eyes like those of the Queenscliff monster, but there were no stripes on the body. The head was round.

GIPPSLAND STORY

Now from Gippsland, the home of many weird monster in the past, comes the story of a large mystery animal which has been seen by several prospectors in the last few days lurking in the dense bracken undergrowth near Bulumwaal.

The animal is described by E.Curtis, a prospector, as being like a large dark brown grizzly bear, with a cumbersome gait. For some months prospectors and others have been puzzled by remarkable footprints, which have been seen on the sandy margin of creeks and in soft soil. These footprints were five inches wide and marks of a set of claws were clearly visible. At other times a heavy animal has been heard crashing through the undergrowth. (2)

1. The Star February 14^th 1903

2. Morning Bulletin August 1^st 1935