1937

YACKANDANDAH. Thursday.
     Suddenly confronted in the bush at night by a strange animal which growled fiercely at them, Mr. Ben Cooper and Mr. Ernest Briggs, of Tawonga, cannot explain what the beast was. They were returning after having driven cattle to the mountains when ferocious growls were heard and the dim shape of a large animal, three or more feet in height, appeared in front of them.
     The animal looked to be dark, and terrified the cattle dogs, which were cowed and refused to attack it.
     On the following day Mr. Cooper found large footprints, 3½ in. across, with four claw prints.
     A few years ago a strange animal terrorised the country five or six miles from this spot. It became known as the Kancoona Tiger, and it is thought that probably the same animal has come down again from the mountains. The opinion here is that it is probably a lion or a tiger which at some time escaped from a travelling circus and lives in the mountains feeding on wombats, kangaroos, and small animals and possibly on the cattle which are turned out each year to graze.

MELBOURNE, Monday.
The mystery of the Kancoona Tiger, an animal that for some time terrified the Alps townships of Tawonga and Kancoona has been solved. The "Tiger" was an overgrown dog of the kangaroo dog species, which had gone wild. Robert and Albert Britton, who have been employed killing wild dogs, which have been ravaging sheep in the district, have returned to Yackandandah with the animal's skin. It measures 7ft. from tip of nose to tail.
The dog was poisoned on Mt. Jack. Bait was prepared by roasting a calf and dragging it for about a mile on horse back and then doctoring it with strychnine. The dog was described as being as big as a Shetland pony.
Robert Britton said that the aspect of the dog was alarming. He expressed amazement that a dog could grow to such a size. Several dogs of this breed have run wild in the Alps district. They hunt in packs and are much more destructive than dingoes.