Yowie
Bigfoot, and similar creatures, has fascinated the AL crew and legenders for hours and hours. From California during the 6-part PGF series all the way to Nepal in our Yeti series. But, Bigfoot-like creatures aren’t limited--stories of them seem to be a part of almost every culture. Tonight, we’re headed to Australia to investigate the Yowie.
The word Yowie is a mystery…and it doesn’t seem to have an agreed upon origin. This may be because it originally reaches back to before the written word. At the very least, the Yowie appears to be tied directly to Aboriginal history where they are also referred to as "quinkin" and "joogabinna". Recorded sightings date back as far as the late 18th century with a story about a sighting being published in the Sydney Morning Herald. Sightings would trickle in throughout the 19th century. One of the more fun ones is a report from 1882 in that newspaper documented a sighting by amateur naturalist Henry James McCooey, sparking a prolonged feud between him and the Sydney Museum.
But what did the Yowie look like? Typically, the Yowie is a bit more human-like and slender than apelike when it comes to the range of Bigfoots (bigfeet?). They were referred to as a “hairy devil.” Some sightings put the creature at about 5 feet, but other reports claim they’re as tall as 12 feet. Their entire bodies are largely covered in hair, in a range of reddish brown to black.
Unlike other Bigfoot-like creatures Yowies don't seem to stick to one particular spot of the country. They have been seen throughout Queensland, the Outback, and Western Australia. They seem to oprefer to blend into the bush and scruff.
While there are some reports of their attack, the behvaior and intentions of the Yowie aren’t entirely known. Some claim they are timid and fearful, while others claim Yowie can cause great damage and fear. It does seem, with all these centuries of hiding, they aren’t interested in making contact with the humans.
Of course, no actual proof of their existence has ever been proven. No bones have been found, no live sightings, but if you believe any of this at all…maybe they’re wandering somewhere in the outback as you read this.
Sightings continue to this day and, just like in America, there are Yowie hunters who have claimed to have gathered proof But, as nebtioned above, nothing defneitive has ever been unearthed..
Thanks to Sam D. for the blogstonishing suggestion.
The header image depicted is not directly related to the story but is a photo of Yowie bay, ca. 1900-1927; Sydney & Ashfield : Broadhurst Postcard Publishers. This image may be used freely without requesting permission. The State Library of New South Wales requests acknowledgement that the image is from the collections of the State Library of NSW.
