20 January 1988, early morning / T164
The Knowles family on the Nullarbor
Nullarbor Plain near Mundrabilla, Western Australia; report at Ceduna, South Australia
Witness account
Faye Knowles and her three adult sons said that a bright object pursued their car while they crossed the Nullarbor Plain before dawn on 20 January 1988. They described an object above the roof, violent shaking, apparent lifting of the vehicle, unusual sounds or voices, and a dark residue. They later reported the episode to police at Ceduna.
Public record
Contemporary UPI coverage establishes that the story was publicly reported on 21 January, while ABC’s reconstruction identifies the encounter as the preceding morning. Police examined a car described as dented and dusty. These observations do not themselves establish that an object lifted it or identify the material’s source.