What we know about Hawkesbury River Monster?

Described as Australia’s own Loch Ness Monster, the Hawkesbury River Monster has said to have been first sighted thousands of years ago by the Dharuk people, who reportedly depicted rock art that showed an unknown beast with a long neck, large body, two sets of flippers, and an eel-like tail. There have been reports of strange slide marks, similar to that of a crocodile along the banks of the river.

According to Australian naturalist Rex Gilroy, who has been researching the creature for several decades, it is believed alive and well with he and wife Heather collecting eyewitness accounts.

“In recent years there have been sightings of creatures surfacing as far up as Windsor,” Rex said. “The latest was in the St Albans where there was a report of a 25–30-foot creature spotted swimming in the river. Some people who had been out fishing saw it swimming past the jetty where they were standing, with a snake-like head about a meter or so above water.”

Rex believes the creature could be a prehistoric plesiosaur, an aquatic dinosaur, which has been extinct for 70 million years… Allegedly.

The Hawkesbury River monster is a mysterious creature that is believed to exist in the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. There have been numerous sightings of the monster over the years, but no one has been able to confirm its existence. The monster is said to be a large, serpent-like creature that lurks in the depths of the river, causing fear and fascination among those who live near the water.

Sightings

The first recorded sighting of the Hawkesbury River monster dates back to the 1800s, when a group of fishermen claimed to have seen a large creature in the water. Since then, there have been many more sightings, some of which have been reported in local newspapers. The descriptions of the monster vary, but most agree that it is a large, dark creature with a long tail and a serpentine head.

A popular story regarding this creature came to light in 1980's. There was a report by fisherman in a small aluminum boat that a sea creature surfaced below their boat, catapulting their vessel out of the water and through the air over 3 meters (9.8 feet). Other reports included boats found adrift with their occupants nowhere to be found and boats found smashed or overturned.

Tony Healy has among his files a 1912 story from the Evening News, Sydney, called 'Was it the bunyip?' "That concerns an alligator-like creature seen in South Creek, a tributary of the Hawkesbury River in Windsor," he said. "[The creature] was seen by a boating party. A strange object swimming a short distance from them, about four-feet in length and resembled an alligator. There have been reports of them a hell of a lot bigger than that. I haven't been able to establish to my satisfaction that the reports of the bigger ones are genuine. But they may well be."

Another report that sparked Healy's interest was one published in the Windsor and Richmond Gazette in 1924. "People were talking about seeing a 'titanic seahorse', and there's a specific eyewitness report by a WJ Riley, who along with his brother, saw this thing while walking along The Terrace [Windsor] at midday. They saw something in the river beneath in a deep hole," Healy said. "He said, 'We saw a big ugly thing, 2 foot 6 inches to 3 foot in depth, with a length of about 5 to 6 feet, and of a yellowish or sandy color. Whether its skin was scale-covered or not, we could not see. We watched for 15 minutes. It had a square-looking fish tail. It was not a pleasant looking animal. I should certainly not care to be in the water and have it after me.'"

Real or Not?

Despite all the sightings, there has been no concrete evidence of the Hawkesbury River monster's existence. Some believe that it is a myth, a fictional creature that has been created by the imaginations of those who live near the river. However, others continue to believe in its existence, and many people have dedicated themselves to trying to find proof of the creature's existence.

One theory about the monster suggests that it could be a remnant from the time when the Hawkesbury River was a saltwater estuary. It is believed that the creature may have been able to survive in the freshwater environment by adapting to its new surroundings. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in the Hawkesbury River monster, with many people using modern technology to try and find evidence of its existence. There have been attempts to capture the creature on film, and some people have used underwater cameras to search the depths of the river. Despite these efforts, however, the mystery of the Hawkesbury River monster remains unsolved.

In conclusion, the Hawkesbury River monster is a fascinating and mysterious creature that has captured the imaginations of people for centuries. While there have been many sightings of the monster, there is no concrete evidence of its existence. Whether it is real or simply a myth, the mystery of the Hawkesbury River monster continues to intrigue and fascinate those who live near the river.