【Sorority】

Area 51,Sorority the Bermuda Triangle, Roswell. Why are the most famous UFO mysteries so United States-centric? Movies probably have a lot to do with it.

In fact, it was the Independence Day Resurgencehome entertainment release last week that got us thinking -- what about Australia?

Our overseas mates might be surprised to learn that Australia can really hold its own when it comes to spooky UFO reports and abduction testimonies. With mass sightings, "alien hot spots” and even a mysterious oceanic triangle of its own; Down Under has its fair share of alien stories to tell around the camp fire.

Want to hear some? It's almost Halloween, after all. Granted, it's not a holiday directly associated with aliens but you get it. *insert spooky synth sounds

Mary Rodwell is the founder and principal of the Australian Close Encounter Resource Network, and she's the person you call when you spot a potential UFO, FYI. Especially since the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) officially stopped looking into reported sightings in the '90s. She says that it's due to Australia's large size and small population that you don't hear about UFO sightings more.

She told Mashable:"A lot of the time so we don't get it [UFO sightings] recorded or people don't want to talk about it, particularly in more isolated places where farmers see stuff, as they do, and have that experience.

"I have people contacting me every week ... So this isn't just dear old America here, this is everywhere," she said.

While it may be happening everywhere and on the regular, there are some definite Aussie stand outs when it comes to UFO tales. And thanks to Rodwell, we have some leads on the best ones. You're welcome! Mass sighting at Westall High School

The Westall incident is often referred to on the dark corners of the web (where Angel Fire websites dwell), as Australia's most significant mass UFO sightings. It occurred in 1966 at Westall High School in Melbourne. Over 100 students, teachers and members of the public claimed to have seen three metallic objects in the sky, hovering closely.

Afterwards, witnessed claimed they were paid a visit by "men in black" and teachers said they were told to dismiss the incident by police and military authorities. A case of mass hysteria, or something more? *X Files theme tune plays softly in the background*

Frederick Valentich, the pilot that vanished

Okay, this is a doozy. in 1978, a 20-year-old pilot and UFO enthusiast named Frederich Valentich was flying over the Bass Strait (separating Tasmania and mainland Australia) when he radioed air traffic control in Melbourne.

In the transmission, the young man describes an object hovering 300 metres (1,000 feet) above him and said it was "not an aircraft." He made statements like "it has a green light and a sort of metallic light on the outside," and "It’s coming for me right now," before his signal was lost. His plane disappeared without a trace. *mystery intensifies*

These nice YouTubers have recorded a reenactment of the transmission.

Kelly Cahill, X Files inspiration

Australian woman with the pseudonym "Kelly Cahill" was referenced in the first rebooted episode of the X Files, because that's how cool her case is. In 1993, she and her husband were driving though the Dandenong Ranges when they saw a big ol' "blimp" thing and went to get a closer look.

Next minute, Cahill wakes up in her own car feeling oddly relaxed. The couple returned home only to realise they'd lost an hour and creepily, that Cahill had a painful triangular mark near her bellybutton. Over the next few weeks, she experienced flashbacks, eventually appearing on TV programme Today Tonight(of course) to tell the story of her abduction.

The case of the Knowles family

Believers like Mary Rodwell say the 1988 experience of Faye Knowles and her three sons (and their two dogs) is one of the most significant "close encounter" testimonies ever.

Also reportedly involving several witnesses, the story goes involves the family witnessing an egg-like, bright structure. They then went on a high-speed car chase against the object, climaxing with the family's car being lifted from the road as weird black dust, high-pitched sound and a horrible smell overwhelmed the car. "I felt like my brain was being sucked out," said eldest son Patrick at the time. *dun dun DUN*

Wycliffe Well, self-described UFO capital

UFO hobbyists rejoice! Australia's got its own tiny town chock full of cute alien signposts. It's a great place for a road-side Instagram. Wycliffe Well is found in the Northern Territory and it calls itself the UFO capital of Australia.

While the idea that it actually experiences "nightly UFO sightings" is up for debate, there's no doubt that it's got the quirkiest caravan park for miles around.

While it's cool to think about road tripping to Australia's UFO hotspots, according to Rodwell, if extra terrestrial beings want to contact you, they'll damn well find a way.

"There does seem to be certain places where craft are seen that little bit more often," she says, "but to be quite honest with you if you're someone they're interested in they can pick you up ... It can be a huge craft above Sydney that you would never see but it would be there if it needs to be…"

Better keep those eyes peeled, earthlings. The truth is out (back) there.