Before Kaikoura, What Did People See?

Introduction

Long before the 1978 Kaikōura sightings made New Zealand internationally known in UFO circles, the country had already accumulated a curious record of aerial mysteries. The earliest stories were not about metallic flying saucers. They emerged during the age of newspapers, steamships and experimental aviation, when reports of strange lights and alleged airships spread through towns that had never seen a powered aircraft. Later decades added closer encounters, claimed landing traces and stories of physical evidence that seemed harder to dismiss than a distant light in the sky.

These early cases matter because they reveal how New Zealand’s UFO tradition developed. They show the interaction between witness testimony, media excitement, official investigation and sceptical re-examination. Some incidents remain unexplained in a narrow sense; others appear to have been amplified by rumour, expectation or weak evidence. Together they created the framework through which later New Zealand UFO reports would be interpreted. [New Zealand Geographic]nzgeo.comcrowded skies the ufo experience in new zealandNew Zealand GeographicCrowded skiesUFOs go back a long way in New Zealand. Back, in fact, to 1909. On July 31 of that year, the engine dr… [New Zealand Geographic]nzgeo.comcrowded skies the ufo experience in new zealandNew Zealand GeographicCrowded skiesUFOs go back a long way in New Zealand. Back, in fact, to 1909. On July 31 of that year, the engine dr…

The 1909 mystery airship wave

The first major New Zealand UFO flap arrived in the winter of 1909. Newspapers across the country reported sightings of what witnesses called “airships”, “phantom ships” or mysterious aerial lights. The reports began in the South Island, particularly in Otago and Southland, before spreading northward through press coverage and public discussion. Ufocus NZ [Paranormal New Zealand]hauntedauckland.comthe new zealand ufo wave of 1909 by tony brunt1967Paranormal New ZealandThe New Zealand 'UFO' Wave of 1909 - By Tony Brunt21 Aug 2014 — For a little over a month in the winter of 1909 hun…

What made the wave remarkable was its timing. New Zealand had no operational aircraft at the time, and powered flight remained a novelty even overseas. Yet witnesses described moving lights, elongated craft shapes, apparent searchlights and, in some accounts, visible occupants. Contemporary newspapers treated the reports seriously enough to dispatch reporters and publish lengthy investigations. [Papers Past]paperspast.natlib.govt.nzls it an airship? That is the question which people are seriously asking themselves concerning the…

Why people took the sightings seriously

Many accounts came from railway workers, farmers, dredge operators and other witnesses regarded locally as reliable. One frequently cited report involved the driver of a train near Greymouth who observed a powerful light appearing to rise and fall over the sea before approaching the harbour. Other reports described lights manoeuvring in ways that observers thought exceeded known technology. [New Zealand Geographic]nzgeo.comcrowded skies the ufo experience in new zealandNew Zealand GeographicCrowded skiesUFOs go back a long way in New Zealand. Back, in fact, to 1909. On July 31 of that year, the engine dr…

The atmosphere of 1909 helped the stories spread. Newspapers regularly covered aviation breakthroughs overseas, especially dirigibles and Zeppelins. Reports of experimental aircraft elsewhere made the idea of a secret flying machine seem plausible. Historians studying international “mystery airship” waves have noted that similar scares appeared in several countries during the same period. JSTOR Daily [Wikipedia In New Zealand]WikipediaMystery airshipMystery airshipIn 1909, a series of mystery airship sightings reported around New England… Airship sightings were also reported fro…, rumours quickly escalated. Some stories claimed an airship had landed. Others alleged that German inventors were secretly testing advanced craft. A few reports even suggested human figures could be seen aboard. The combination of technological excitement and incomplete information created ideal conditions for a nationwide mystery. [NZ Skeptics]articles.skeptics.nzthe great zeppelin scare of 1909NZ SkepticsThe Great Zeppelin Scare of 19091 May 1998 — Near Gore on July 30th, the Auckland Star reported that two mining dredge hands w…Published: May 1998 [Paranormal New Zealand]hauntedauckland.comthe new zealand ufo wave of 1909 by tony brunt1967Paranormal New ZealandThe New Zealand 'UFO' Wave of 1909 - By Tony Brunt21 Aug 2014 — For a little over a month in the winter of 1909 hun…

What later researchers found

Later investigators reached more cautious conclusions. Research published in New Zealand UFO and historical circles has shown that many reports appeared after extensive newspaper publicity, suggesting a strong contagion effect. Once the “airship” idea became familiar, ordinary lights in the sky could be interpreted through that narrative. [Ufocus NZ]ufocusnz.org.nzthe 1909 kelso airships of new zealandThe phenomenon began in the southernmost part of the country, spread northwards.Read more…

Sceptics have proposed several explanations for individual sightings, including bright planets, the Moon, atmospheric effects and misidentified lights seen under unusual viewing conditions. Some reported details are difficult to verify because the surviving evidence consists largely of newspaper accounts rather than direct witness records. [NZ Skeptics]articles.skeptics.nzthe great zeppelin scare of 1909NZ SkepticsThe Great Zeppelin Scare of 19091 May 1998 — Near Gore on July 30th, the Auckland Star reported that two mining dredge hands w…Published: May 1998

Yet the 1909 wave remains historically significant. It demonstrates that New Zealand experienced organised UFO-like reporting decades before the flying-saucer era. The phenomenon also reveals how public expectations can shape descriptions of unexplained aerial events. What later generations would call UFOs were, in 1909, interpreted as mysterious airships. [New Zealand Geographic]nzgeo.comcrowded skies the ufo experience in new zealandNew Zealand GeographicCrowded skiesUFOs go back a long way in New Zealand. Back, in fact, to 1909. On July 31 of that year, the engine dr… [New Zealand Geographic]nzgeo.comcrowded skies the ufo experience in new zealandNew Zealand GeographicCrowded skiesUFOs go back a long way in New Zealand. Back, in fact, to 1909. On July 31 of that year, the engine dr…

The Moreland farm encounter

If the 1909 wave was largely a story of distant lights, the Moreland case of 1959 moved the mystery much closer to the ground.

On 13 July 1959, Marlborough farmer Eileen Moreland reported an encounter while preparing to bring in her dairy herd before dawn. According to her account, she observed a glowing object hovering at relatively low altitude near her property. She later described seeing what appeared to be two human-sized figures inside or associated with the craft. The sighting lasted only a few minutes, but its details distinguished it from many ordinary light reports. Ufocus NZ [2theozfiles.blogspot.com]theozfiles.blogspot.commoreland revelationsThe Moreland Revelations27 Sept 2011 — All previous material on the case had revealed this New Zealand case from 13 July 1959 as a striki…Published: July 1959

The case attracted substantial attention because investigators considered Moreland a credible witness. Journalistic and later archival accounts note that police and investigators found her calm and consistent rather than sensationalist. One investigator, journalist Tom Gainsford, reportedly concluded that she appeared rational and sincere. [interactives.stuff.co.nz]interactives.stuff.co.nzFinding Mrs MorelandA local farmer called Roy Holdaway, who lived about seven kilometres from Moreland's house, saw a bright light in the…

Why the case survived in New Zealand UFO history

Several factors elevated the Moreland encounter above a typical UFO report.

First, there was a corroborating observation. Farmer Roy Holdaway, living several kilometres away, reported seeing a bright light in the area around the relevant time. Although he did not witness the close encounter itself, his account provided independent support that something unusual may have been visible. [interactives.stuff.co.nz]interactives.stuff.co.nzFinding Mrs MorelandA local farmer called Roy Holdaway, who lived about seven kilometres from Moreland's house, saw a bright light in the…

Second, the case entered official channels. Material relating to the sighting later appeared within New Zealand Defence Force UFO files released to the public decades afterward. Those files include correspondence, media inquiries and investigative material connected with the incident. [files.bluebookfiles.org]files.bluebookfiles.orgRNZAF report on.Read moreNEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE - Project Blue Book ArchiveFebruary 9, 2026 — File Contains: Reports, interviews and requests for UFO informati…Published: February 9, 2026

Third, the story contained elements that UFO researchers traditionally regard as significant: a low-level object, apparent occupants and a detailed witness narrative. Such features ensured that the Moreland encounter remained one of the country’s most frequently discussed pre-Kaikōura cases. [theozfiles.blogspot.com]theozfiles.blogspot.commoreland revelationsThe Moreland Revelations27 Sept 2011 — All previous material on the case had revealed this New Zealand case from 13 July 1959 as a striki…Published: July 1959

The limits of the evidence

Despite its reputation, the Moreland case has important weaknesses.

No photographs, physical traces or instrumented measurements confirmed the event. The strongest evidence remains witness testimony. While sincerity can support credibility, it cannot independently establish what was observed. The reported occupants, often highlighted in later retellings, are particularly difficult to evaluate because they rely entirely on Moreland’s perception during a brief and unusual encounter. [Ufocus NZ]ufocusnz.org.nzthe moreland sighting 1959Ufocus NZThe Moreland Sighting, 1959 – Ufocus NZ22 Jul 2020 — When a farmer prepares to bring her dairy herd in for milking, she encounte…

For that reason, the case occupies an ambiguous position in New Zealand UFO history. It is stronger than many reports because of the witness quality and official documentation, yet it remains far from conclusive. Researchers who favour extraordinary explanations view it as one of the country’s classic close encounters; sceptics see an honest but ultimately unverified report. [files.bluebookfiles.org]files.bluebookfiles.orgRNZAF report on.Read moreNEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE - Project Blue Book ArchiveFebruary 9, 2026 — File Contains: Reports, interviews and requests for UFO informati…Published: February 9, 2026

The Ngatea landing trace claims

A decade later, New Zealand produced one of its most famous alleged physical-evidence cases.

In September 1969, a farmer near Ngātea on the Hauraki Plains discovered a strange circular area within mānuka scrub. Reports described a roughly circular zone of damaged vegetation, silvered and dying plant growth, and three deep impressions arranged in a triangular pattern. Because the marks appeared suddenly and lacked an obvious explanation, speculation quickly centred on a UFO landing. [AA New Zealand]aa.co.nzngatea crop circles did aliens visit the waikatoAA New ZealandNgātea Crop Circles: Did aliens visit the Waikato?In September 1969, the tiny town of Ngātea on State Highway 2 in the Haur…Published: September 1969

Unlike many aerial sightings, the Ngātea incident began with something tangible on the ground. Reporters, investigators and curious visitors converged on the site. The case gained national attention because people could physically inspect the alleged evidence rather than relying solely on witness recollections. [strangeco.blogspot.com]strangeco.blogspot.comthe ngatea crop circle9 May 2022 — Cooke collected samples of soil and the manuka trees and shared them with the University of Auckland's UFO research group, t…Published: May 2022

What investigators examined

Various investigators collected soil and vegetation samples. Accounts from later UFO researchers claim that horticultural examination failed to identify a simple chemical explanation and that some measurements suggested unusual radiation readings. These claims helped sustain the mystery in UFO literature. [strangeco.blogspot.com]strangeco.blogspot.comthe ngatea crop circle9 May 2022 — Cooke collected samples of soil and the manuka trees and shared them with the University of Auckland's UFO research group, t…Published: May 2022

The case also received enough public attention to generate recorded interviews and media coverage discussing whether the marks represented a genuine landing site or a more mundane phenomenon. [ngataonga.org.nz]ngataonga.org.nz, found in a remote patch of manuka scrub on the farm of Mr BG O'Neill near…Read more…

What made Ngātea memorable was the combination of several features often associated with classic UFO trace cases:

• A clearly defined circular area.
• Apparent vegetation damage.
• Ground impressions suggesting landing supports.
• The absence of a witnessed aircraft or known vehicle.
• Extensive public and media interest. [AA New Zealand]aa.co.nzngatea crop circles did aliens visit the waikatoAA New ZealandNgātea Crop Circles: Did aliens visit the Waikato?In September 1969, the tiny town of Ngātea on State Highway 2 in the Haur…Published: September 1969

Why the case remains disputed

The problem is that physical traces do not automatically prove a UFO landing.

No direct observation connected the marks to an aerial craft. Alternative explanations ranged from agricultural activity and environmental causes to deliberate fabrication. Unlike a controlled scientific investigation, the site quickly became a public attraction, complicating later analysis. [AA New Zealand]aa.co.nzngatea crop circles did aliens visit the waikatoAA New ZealandNgātea Crop Circles: Did aliens visit the Waikato?In September 1969, the tiny town of Ngātea on State Highway 2 in the Haur…Published: September 1969

As with many alleged landing-trace cases worldwide, the evidence degraded over time while stories expanded. The surviving record demonstrates that something unusual affected the site, but it does not establish a definitive cause. For believers, Ngātea remains one of New Zealand’s strongest physical UFO mysteries. For sceptics, it illustrates how ambiguous ground traces can acquire extraordinary interpretations without decisive proof. AA New Zealand [2ngataonga.org.nz]ngataonga.org.nz, found in a remote patch of manuka scrub on the farm of Mr BG O'Neill near…Read more…

How these early cases shaped the New Zealand UFO story

Viewed together, the 1909 airship wave, the Moreland encounter and the Ngātea traces represent three different stages in New Zealand’s UFO tradition.

The airship reports show a society interpreting unexplained lights through the newest technology it knew. The Moreland case shifted attention toward close encounters involving detailed witness testimony. Ngātea added the possibility of physical traces and material evidence. Each case broadened the range of what New Zealanders considered possible when confronting something they could not immediately explain. [New Zealand Geographic]nzgeo.comcrowded skies the ufo experience in new zealandNew Zealand GeographicCrowded skiesUFOs go back a long way in New Zealand. Back, in fact, to 1909. On July 31 of that year, the engine dr… [Ufocus NZ]ufocusnz.org.nzthe moreland sighting 1959Ufocus NZThe Moreland Sighting, 1959 – Ufocus NZ22 Jul 2020 — When a farmer prepares to bring her dairy herd in for milking, she encounte…

Just as importantly, all three cases reveal a recurring pattern that would continue into later decades. Strong witness testimony generated interest, but certainty remained elusive. Physical traces raised expectations, yet alternative explanations persisted. Official files preserved records, but they rarely delivered definitive answers. That tension between intriguing evidence and unresolved interpretation became a defining characteristic of New Zealand’s UFO history long before Kaikōura brought the subject into international headlines. [files.bluebookfiles.org]files.bluebookfiles.orgRNZAF report on.Read moreNEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE - Project Blue Book ArchiveFebruary 9, 2026 — File Contains: Reports, interviews and requests for UFO informati…Published: February 9, 2026 [Internet Archive]archive.orgSee other formats. Copy /if of 36 NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFO) FILES…Read more…

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to Before Kaikoura, What Did People See?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

UFOs

By Leslie Kean

Provides a broad framework for evaluating historical UFO cases and witness testimony.

See on Amazon

Book

The Hynek UFO Report

By J. Allen Hynek

Useful for understanding how early sighting waves and unexplained reports are classified and assessed.

See on Amazon

Book

The UFO Experience

By Joseph Allen Hynek

Explains investigative approaches applicable to New Zealand's early cases.

See on Amazon

Book

Passport to Magonia

By Jacques Vallee

Connects historical mystery-airship and anomalous-light reports to broader traditions.

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon: UFOs The Hynek UFO Report The UFO Experience

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Endnotes

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   Link: https://ufocusnz.org.nz/2020/07/22/the-1909-kelso-airships-of-new-zealand/
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   The phenomenon began in the southernmost part of the country, spread northwards.Read more...

2. Source: daily.jstor.org
   Title: phantom flying machines
   Link: https://daily.jstor.org/phantom-flying-machines/
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   JSTOR DailyThe History of UFOsApr 1, 2016 — UFOs are much older than the Cold War's flying saucers. These 1897 and 1909 sightings of flyi...

3. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: Mystery airship
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_airship
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   Mystery airshipIn 1909, a series of mystery airship sightings reported around New England... Airship sightings were also reported fro...

4. Source: articles.skeptics.nz
   Title: the great zeppelin scare of 1909
   Link: https://articles.skeptics.nz/1998/05/01/the-great-zeppelin-scare-of-1909/
   Source snippet

   NZ SkepticsThe Great Zeppelin Scare of 19091 May 1998 — Near Gore on July 30th, the Auckland Star reported that two mining dredge hands w...

   Published: May 1998

5. Source: ufocusnz.org.nz
   Title: the moreland sighting 1959
   Link: https://ufocusnz.org.nz/2020/07/22/the-moreland-sighting-1959/
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   Ufocus NZThe Moreland Sighting, 1959 – Ufocus NZ22 Jul 2020 — When a farmer prepares to bring her dairy herd in for milking, she encounte...

6. Source: theozfiles.blogspot.com
   Title: moreland revelations
   Link: https://theozfiles.blogspot.com/2011/09/moreland-revelations.html
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   The Moreland Revelations27 Sept 2011 — All previous material on the case had revealed this New Zealand case from 13 July 1959 as a striki...

   Published: July 1959

7. Source: interactives.stuff.co.nz
   Link: https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2018/03/finding-mrs-moreland/
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   Finding Mrs MorelandA local farmer called Roy Holdaway, who lived about seven kilometres from Moreland's house, saw a bright light in the...

8. Source: files.bluebookfiles.org
   Title: RNZAF report on.Read more
   Link: https://files.bluebookfiles.org/pdfs/1959.00%20-%20NARA%20-%20NewZealandUFO%20-%20AIR-244-10-1-Volume-1-1959-.pdf
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   NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE - Project Blue Book ArchiveFebruary 9, 2026 — File Contains: Reports, interviews and requests for UFO informati...

   Published: February 9, 2026

9. Source: archive.org
   Link: https://archive.org/stream/NewZealandUFO/AIR-244-10-1-Volume-1-1959-1983_djvu.txt
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   See other formats. Copy /if of 36 NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFO) FILES...Read more...

10. Source: ngataonga.org.nz
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    , found in a remote patch of manuka scrub on the farm of Mr BG O'Neill near...Read more...

11. Source: strangeco.blogspot.com
    Title: the ngatea crop circle
    Link: https://strangeco.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-ngatea-crop-circle.html
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    9 May 2022 — Cooke collected samples of soil and the manuka trees and shared them with the University of Auckland's UFO research group, t...

    Published: May 2022

12. Source: nzgeo.com
    Title: crowded skies the ufo experience in new zealand
    Link: https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/crowded-skies-the-ufo-experience-in-new-zealand/
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    New Zealand GeographicCrowded skiesUFOs go back a long way in New Zealand. Back, in fact, to 1909. On July 31 of that year, the engine dr...

13. Source: nzgeo.com
    Link: https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/x-files/
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    New Zealand GeographicX-filesThe average speed of airships was about 40 km/h, and they had poor manoeuvrability. Only 27 were known to ha...

14. Source: hauntedauckland.com
    Title: the new zealand ufo wave of 1909 by tony brunt1967
    Link: https://hauntedauckland.com/site/the-new-zealand-ufo-wave-of-1909-by-tony-brunt1967/
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    Paranormal New ZealandThe New Zealand 'UFO' Wave of 1909 - By Tony Brunt21 Aug 2014 — For a little over a month in the winter of 1909 hun...

15. Source: paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
    Link: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19090802.2.51
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    ls it an airship? That is the question which people are seriously asking themselves concerning the...

16. Source: paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
    Link: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19090729.2.120
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    Past | 29 July 1909 | THE MYSTERIOUS "AIRSHIP."THE MYSTERIOUS "AIRSHIP." STORY OF AN "EYE-WITNESS." [BI TELEGRAPH SPECIAL TO THE POST.] D...

    Published: July 1909

17. Source: aa.co.nz
    Title: ngatea crop circles did aliens visit the waikato
    Link: https://www.aa.co.nz/membership/aa-directions/features/ngatea-crop-circles-did-aliens-visit-the-waikato/
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    AA New ZealandNgātea Crop Circles: Did aliens visit the Waikato?In September 1969, the tiny town of Ngātea on State Highway 2 in the Haur...

    Published: September 1969

18. Source: trove.nla.gov.au
    Link: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19599016
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    nla.gov.au31 Jul 1909 - MYSTERIOUS AIRSHIP. - TroveRemarkable stories are coming from the South Island regarding a anysterious light seen...

Additional References

1. Source: smithsonianmag.com
   Link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/fear-of-floating-137226392/
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   Smithsonian MagazineFear of FloatingMany historians, Clarke says, think the airship scare was worked up by newspapers such as the Daily M...

2. Source: fyi.org.nz
   Title: 29915 all references to a mrs eileen moreland marlborough region
   Link: https://fyi.org.nz/request/29915-all-references-to-a-mrs-eileen-moreland-marlborough-region
   Source snippet

   UFO' sighting on 13th July 1959 and subsequent investigations. I am aware that several documents have been released via OIA in years prio...

   Published: July 1959

3. Source: ufologie.patrickgross.org
   Link: https://ufologie.patrickgross.org/ce3/1959-07-13-nzealand-blenheim.htm
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   UfologieJuly 13, 1959, Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand, Eileen...3 Nov 2006 — Eileen Moreland experienced had a UFO sightings of 2 to...

   Published: July 13, 1959

4. Source: reddit.com
   Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/HighStrangeness/comments/f9y7m1/top_secret_new_zealand_military_files_detail_an/
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   ly on the morning of July 13th, 1959 when she noticed a strange...Read more...

5. Source: facebook.com
   Title: Flying Saucers and UFOs in New Zealand!
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/ArchivesNewZealand/posts/flying-saucers-and-ufos-in-new-zealandfrom-1956-to-1988-the-new-zealand-meteorol/854483243537931/
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   From 1956...Flying Saucers and UFOs in New Zealand! From 1956 to 1988 the New Zealand Meteorological Service, Auckland received so many...

6. Source: facebook.com
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   September 23, 1909...[44] Later sightings There was a series of mystery airship sightings in 1909 in New England, which were triggered b...

   Published: September 23, 1909

7. Source: reddit.com
   Title: What caused the Ngatea Circles?
   Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1252yip/what_caused_the_ngatea_circles_the_most/
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   The most intriguing case..."Some outside object appears to have landed on the spot, and in taking off emitted energy which cooked the pl...

8. Source: instagram.com
   Title: WORKIN G ON A SECOND SERIES
   Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVu68VckV-Z/
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   WORKING ON A SECOND SERIES - LET ME KNOW YOUR...Has there been UFOs in New Zealand? The year was 1969 and something strange occurred COU...

9. Source: digitalnz.org
   Title: TH E MYSTERIOUS AIRSHIP
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   (Mataura Ensign 22-5-1909)THE MYSTERIOUS AIRSHIP. (Mataura Ensign 22-5-1909); Content partner: National Library of New Zealand; Collectio...

10. Source: airminded.org
    Title: scareships over fiji
    Link: https://airminded.org/2021/01/25/scareships-over-fiji/
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    ?25 Jan 2021 — The gentle dig about Fiji getting a mystery airship visit before Auckland — though I think it did get some visits during t...