9 replies to this topic

[Sunny Day]

I did a few searches of the forums for information and/or theories on the so-called "Spirit Stones" which are told to have rained down on some aboriginal settlements and farms in the south west corner of Australia back in the 1940's and 1950's.

I watched a documentry aired by the ABC awhile ago and it got my brain ticking over.

http://www.abc.net.a...2009T213000.htm

Anyway, I'm interested to hear others views on these and if it has occurred anywhere else.  One possible theory is that the aboriginals living there were unhappy with how the land was being used etc so created the mystery themselves to send a message to the white settlers?  Did that involve group trickery or group hallucination or did the group's cranky energy cause it (like a poltergueist might?)

So what do you think?

P.S. Be gentle with me, I'm new here... I've seen some forum posters get the stuffing knocked out of them on their first few posts

[Professor T]

Hi sunny day.
Welcome to UM!.

I've heard a similar story that came out of Australia back in the same era about a house being pelted by big boulders out of the blue sky. This didn't just happen as a once off either, it happened again and again over several years and the farmers ended up leaving. I think the place was somewhere near alice springs.. I think something similar occured in scotland some years later.

[Sunny Day]

Thanks for replying Professor T.    You could be thinking of the same story as the stones went on for weeks and seemed to 'follow' a particular farm worker, even when he moved to a new farm.  The rocks ranged in size but all fell softly and were warm to touch.

So did you have a theory on what might have been going on?  The weird parts are when the witnesses say that the rocks/pebbles would just fall down seemingly from the ceiling and that it occurred inside and outside, but no one was hurt by them or windows broken etc.  So even if it was part hallucination and part reality it's still v. strange.  What was going on?

[Brian Topp]

[Ninhursag]

Never Heard Of This Before .. Thanks For The Post .. Very Interesting Indeed

[Sunny Day]

I got all excited to see Brian Topp had replied, expecting a nice clear explanation of what had occurred... ah well... maybe next time.

Ninhursag, You're welcome.  I'm glad it's given you something to think about.

[Brian Topp]

From 19 September 2012 - 04:30 AM:

I got all excited to see Brian Topp had replied, expecting a nice clear explanation of what had occurred... ah well... maybe next time.

Ninhursag, You're welcome.  I'm glad it's given you something to think about.

I am an australian and born in wa. I heard this story before i heard about the documentry and i really don't want to get into it. It's the type of crap you hear at the pubs when people got bored of talking about sports, cars and women.  It's a story.

Edited by Brian Topp, 19 September 2012 - 06:00 AM.

[Sunny Day]

Brian Topp, on 19 September 2012 - 05:59 AM, said:

I am an australian and born in wa. I heard this story before i heard about the documentry and i really don't want to get into it. It's the type of crap you hear at the pubs when people got bored of talking about sports, cars and women.  It's a story.

Ok, thanks anyway.

[Crops]

Brian's not right here. The Spirit Stones documentary covers mysterious stone throwing events in the Pumphreys/Mayanup area in the late 50s, and as part of a book on Australian Poltergeists I'm working on with a colleague we went back over all the local (WA) press material, recorded interviews with participants (there are a few and some Ive done), as well as going on site to talk to some of the participants. The remarkable case was actually spread over four farms and was particularly intense from 1955-57, recurred sporadically through the 60s and persists in a less dramatic form to the present day. The stone falls were witnessed by hundreds of people, and I've spoken to quite a few. The best summary of the case is in Helen Hacks book 'The Mystery of the Mayanup Poltergeist' (sometimes on eBay). Very few polt cases are as well documented. Its a long case to summarise but in general the witnesses observed hundreds of stone and other objects falling apparanetly out of nowhere. My view is that there is zero chance this impressive case was a hoax. Cheers P.

[DingoLingo]

Brian Topp, on 19 September 2012 - 05:59 AM, said:

I am an australian and born in wa. I heard this story before i heard about the documentry and i really don't want to get into it. It's the type of crap you hear at the pubs when people got bored of talking about sports, cars and women.  It's a story.

fellow west aussie