1932

Incident Near Eurobin.
MYRTLEFORD, Friday.
William Nutall, of Myrtleford accompanied by his sister and a companion, was returning from Bright last night, and near the Eurobin railway station he alighted from his horse and entered a paddock, holding the reins, the others riding on a shoit distance. A strange animal which snarled attacked Nutall and tore his shirt to ribbons. The horse broke away, and when Nutall ran the animal followed him to the railway line, where a wire fence apparently stopped it.
Nutall described the animal as being about 7ft. in height, with round, hairy head, and four tusks. It stood on two legs. It is believed to be an animal which escaped from a travelling circus when it was at Yackandandah some time ago. The animal has been seen by residents in different parts of the district, its tracks being plainly discernible. It is said to resemble an ape. Parties are out searching for it.

MELBOURNE, Today.
     Armed bushmen are hunting for a mysterious beast, shaggy and powerful, that has attacked three men in the mountainous region between Blight and Yackandandah. The people are terrified.
     Its footprints have been found, but opinions vary as to the identity of the animal. Some say it is 7 ft. high and is hairy-headed, and looks like a clumsy deer, and that it has razor-like claws and four white tusks. Those who have seen the beast were too terrified to know exactly what they saw. They say variously that it is an old-man kangaroo. grizzly bear, and a mad gorilla. It is the pivot of a dozen different theories, but the countryside is unanimous that the strange animal lurks in the shadows and leaps on passing horsemen.

HUNTERS ATTACKED

     A farmer, on a recent moonlight night, was riding home about 10 o'clock. Just as he bent over the saddle on the horse, there was a grunt and a scuffle, and a heavy, lumbering figure leapt at the head of his horse. The animal bolted with the farmer holding on for his life.
     Later an inspection disclosed footmarks like those of a grizzly bear. A few nights later the farmer heard the strange visitor lumbering and grunting around his hut. Outside the horses whinnied in terror.
     Three of the most daring men in the district went out to hunt through the mountain wilderness for the prowling terror. With guns ready they spent the night out in the open, but found no trace.
     Later they were passing through the eerie shadows on the Running Creek road, talking of their exploit, a shade sceptical, when, in the twinkling of an eye, the thing that they had been seeking was on them.

HORSES TERRIFIED

     The horses were scared, and rearing, broke the shafts of the buckboard, on which the men were riding. The three men were thrown to the roadway. Grabbing their guns they fired, but in their confusion the mystery animal scuttled back into the bush, apparently unharmed. When daylight came, the men found the prints of the animal, but could not guess what it was.
     On Thursday William Nuttall, a 21 year-old drover, with some women and men friends, was riding home to Myrtle ford. The moon was shining. Young Nuttall got off his horse to tighten the girth, and the others went on slowly.
     Those ahead heard him shout, "Ride like mad! Some strange beast is attack ing me." The mysterious animal had hidden in the shadows and made a sweep at him with its paw. It ripped Nuttall's shirt to ribbons, but missed his body. Nuttall's horse took fright and bolted, but he stuck to the saddle.
     When Nuttall looked round he saw a large hairy creature. A sudden swerve by the horse unseated him, and he dashed for the wire fence which divided him from the railway line. He raced for life along the rails with the animal close on his heels.

BLIND KANGAROO?

     About 20 or 30 yards ahead he saw his horse standing on the roadway, shivering with fright. Nuttall leapt the fence with a bound and, regaining the saddle, urged the horse on.
     This is the history of the mystery terror of the mountains so far. Some of the Myrtleford folk think that it is an old man kangaroo which was caught in a recent bushfire, and is wandering about the country half-blind. Nuttall does not accept that theory. He thinks it is a gorilla.
     This afternoon a party of armed horse men left Myrtleford to search for the creature.

MELBOURNE, Saturday.
     A mystery animal, shaggy and powerful, is terrorising dwellers in the mountain ranges between Bright and Yackandandah. Already the bush prowler has made three attacks on wayfarers and prints of a giant have been found in soft soil.
     Among many theories he is described as a grizzly bear, an old man kangaroo and a gorilla. Five men have seen it and each has his own ideas. It is claimed it walks by night, it is seven feet high, it has a hairy head, razor claws, four white tusks, it runs like a clumsy deer, and it lurks in shadows and leaps on passing horsemen.
     It was first heard of about a month ago by one of the Cherry brothers, farmers at Bunning Creek, who was going home about ten o'clock on a still, moonless night. He came to a gate and bent from the saddle of a horse to lift the catch. The gate opened and then there was a grunt and a scuffle and a bulky beast leapt at the horse's head. The horse bolted with Cherry clinging to its back.
     Next morning he went down to the gateway and examined the ground. In a jumble of footmarks he discerned prints that suggested the foot of a grizzly bear.
     Other men claim to have had similar experiences. Bushmen are scouring the country in search.

NEVER since the Tantaloola tiger have we had such a satisfying mystery as the yackandandah gorilla. This fierce prowler has torn one man's shirt and frightened various parties, both those out searching for him and those only too glad to escape him. Its footprint, like that on Robinson Crusoe's Island, has caused much ado. lt has, according to those who have either seen it, or "felt its presence in the darkness," tusks, powerful claws, and is about 7ft. high. The popular theory that it is a gorilla is less satisfactory than it might be, for it is over two years since a circus passed through the Bight ranges, and the alternatives that it is an old man kangaroo or an emu seem to be worthy of credence. The only two explanations not brought forward are those of the prohibitionists and of the small girl with whom her deity sympathised in being handed a story teller, as "I have often mistaken those yellow dogs for tigers myself." Meanwhile those who cannot get to Sydney to see the bridge opened are hopeful of a walking tour through the haunted mountains.

MYRTLEFORD, Friday
While William Nuttall, aged 21 years, was riding with a companion to Myrtleford late last night a motor car passed near the Happy Valley bridge and the driver called out to Nuttall. Remarking that he wished to speak to the motorist Nuttall galloped after him. The horse struck the rear of the motor car with his hoofs and stumbled. Nuttall was thrown to the roadway. He died in a private hospital this evening.