1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,559 Speaker 1: Nothing's better than feeling comfortable in your own shoes. Maybe 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: you're a parent raising a little rock star, or a 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: techno man working from anywhere. All birds want you to 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: be comfortable in your actual shoes too. Their wool runners, 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: pipers and loungers are so cozy you might forget you're 6 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: wearing them, and they're crafted from natural materials that tread 7 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: lightly on our planet. So get comfortable in your shoes. 8 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: Get to know the wool runners, pipers and loungers at 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: albirds dot com. That's allbrds dot com. The small town 10 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: of Humpty Dow, located just forty kilometers to the southeast 11 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,560 Speaker 1: of Darwin in North Australia, is thought to get its 12 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: name from the term humpty dumpty, a phrase adopted in 13 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: local vernacular to mean upside down. A fitting name perhaps, 14 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: for like most of the country, the place sits squarely 15 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:04,839 Speaker 1: on an intersection of worlds. For, of course, it wasn't 16 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: always known as hump dey Do, the country not always 17 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: known as Australia. The first people to arrive here are 18 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: thought to have done so over fifty thousand years ago, 19 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: their descendants, the Larakia people, eventually settling in the area 20 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: and living out a mostly peaceful existence in harmony with 21 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: the elements of their world, taking only what they needed 22 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 1: and fighting only to defend the territory that was crucial 23 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: to their survival. Unbeknownst to the Larakia, however, there was 24 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: another world occupying the exact same space as theirs, and 25 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: one day it would begin to press in. Some knew 26 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: of this place, already a place populated by people similar 27 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: in some way but different in others. As they will discover, 28 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: it is a place made not by Mangaraha or Nangan Burah, 29 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: but by God Almighty. And it is a place where 30 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: time and space is a very different thing. In this 31 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: new world, it is the year eighteen thirty nine. Unlike 32 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: that of the Larakia, its concept of land is not 33 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: to see it as a shifting and breathing compatriot, but 34 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: rather as something to be owned, worked and dominated. Slowly, 35 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: over the years, this new world will in many ways 36 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 1: supersede that of the Larakia. The clash of perspectives an 37 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: ever continuing and controversial work in progress. But while our 38 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: species battles amongst itself in its constant negotiation of worlds, 39 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: it is not only each other's human worlds we encroach on, 40 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: but those of things far more ancient. You need only 41 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: take a short journey from the city of Darwin into 42 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: the surrounding swamplands to find creatures with little concern for 43 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 1: our conflicting stories and stories of conflict. They're camouflaged crocodile eyes, 44 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: quietly observing all from as far back as two hundred 45 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: million years ago. And what of the many other things 46 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: hidden from view? Perhaps whoever we think we are, we 47 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: will always be at the whim of unseen and unknown forces. 48 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: You're listening to unexplained, and I'm Richard McClane Smith. Like 49 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: most of the surrounding area of Darwin, Humpty Dew sees 50 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: little rainfall in the major winter months of June, July 51 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: and August, but as summer approaches, an invisible movement plays 52 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: out that come the new year will bring vast changes. 53 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: As the land absorbs the heat radiating from the sun, 54 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: so too to the molecules in the air above it, 55 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: sending them higher into the atmosphere. As they rise, Warm 56 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: and humid airs over tropical oceans are drawn silently into 57 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: the space, as if from nowhere. Thick dark shapes begin 58 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: to materialize and swirl about in the sky, growing thicker 59 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: and darker, until finally the unrelenting torrent of monsoon is unleashed. 60 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: Some call it the wet others know it as the 61 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: season of good joke. Come January, the rains can fall 62 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: for twenty days of the month, delivering over four meters 63 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: of water from the skies and with it some of 64 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: the most dramatic and spine tingling thunderstorms you are ever 65 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: likely to witness, much like the one being watched by 66 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: five friends as they sit on their porch outside their 67 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: home at ninety Mukmin's Drive, a modest but well kept 68 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: four bedroom bungalow located just off the road at the 69 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: end of a seventy meter gravel driveway, surrounded by a 70 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: high wire fence and shrouded by trees. The property also 71 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: boasted a decent sized swimming pool, as well as a 72 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: large garage and outdoor bar area where the friends are 73 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: currently gathered. In short, it was the perfect home for 74 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 1: the young North Territorians. It is late January nineteen ninety 75 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: eight and the friends are sipping on beer, enjoying each 76 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: other's coy immersed in the spectacle unfolding before them. Sunset 77 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: has colored the clouds into a wash of indigo and orange. 78 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: From somewhere within them, a primal guttural rumble emerges, reverberating 79 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: for miles around, followed by a sudden and vicious cracking. 80 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: A pulsing of neon purple is followed by a crooked 81 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 1: trail of electric blue leaping out from the clouds, scorching 82 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: dendrite lines in the sky. Kirsty yelps with delight as 83 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: another distant fork of lightning shoots down to the ground. 84 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: Her partner, Andrew, a driller for the construction industry, sits 85 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: beside her, along with their friends Jill, who worked in 86 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: a local shop, and her partner Dave, a mechanic, and Murph, 87 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: who worked as a commercial fisherman. Kirsty and Andrew were 88 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: also proud parents to ten months old old Jasmine, who 89 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: was currently lying sound asleep inside the house. As they 90 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: continued to sit and enjoy the storm, the rain pelting 91 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: down with ever greater intensity, Andrew gave a sudden cry 92 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: of surprise. What was that? He said, as a pebble 93 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: came to rest at his feet. Suddenly the whole group 94 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: were being pelted by tiny stones. Some hitting their bodies, 95 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: with others just clattering against the patio floor. The stones, 96 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: about a centimeter in diameter, looked identical to the pieces 97 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: of gravel that lined their driveway. The five looked about 98 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: urgently for any sign of a culprit, suspecting that some 99 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: practical jokers were playing a trick on them, with Kirsty 100 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: and Andrew especially concerned since Jasmine was alone in the house. 101 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: Dave and Mirth stepped out into the rain for a 102 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: better look, but with its starting to get dark, there 103 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: had little chance of spotting anything. A moment later, with 104 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: the onslaught having stopped, the group returned to the verandah, 105 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: only for it to immediately start up again. Entire fistfuls 106 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: of pebbles flung into them from indiscernible directions. Tiring of 107 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: whatever prank was being pulled, the group shouted into the 108 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 1: surrounding darkness, vowing to teach the culprit's a lesson, before 109 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: eventually deciding to continue their evening inside the house. Leading 110 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: the group into the bungalow, Kirsty stepped into the kitchen 111 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: and froze in horror. The pebbles were everywhere, scattered all 112 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: over the kitchen table, the worktops, and across the floor. 113 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: In a panic, she ran to check on Jasmine, but 114 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: found her thankfully sound asleep, unaware of any intrusion. The 115 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: others made a quick check of their home but found 116 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 1: no sign of any one. And then it started again. 117 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: Andrew saw the first one as it came to rest 118 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 1: on the carpet at his feet, followed by another, then another, 119 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:32,439 Speaker 1: until there was a shower of pebbles dropping all about them. 120 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: Yelling for whoever it was to cut it out, The 121 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: tenants soon realized, with all the doors and windows closed, 122 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 1: that they were the only people inside the building. The stones, 123 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: which could only have come from outside, were bone dry, 124 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 1: despite the torrential downpour, and they appeared to be materializing 125 00:09:55,960 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 1: out of thin air. Thinking they might somehow be coming 126 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: from the loft, Dave removed the cover to the attic 127 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: and poked his head into the space, only to be 128 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: showered again by pebbles tumbling down from somewhere above. But 129 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: yet again there was nobody there. Ducking for cover, Andrew 130 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: and Kirsty retreated to their bedroom, gasping in surprise when 131 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: they saw the bed. It was also covered in pebbles, 132 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: but that was only the beginning. Over the next few days, 133 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: the housemates were terrorized, with a number of implements seemingly 134 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: being thrown around the house by an unseen force. A 135 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: CD player was wrenched from the wall and smashed on 136 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: the floor. Ashtrays were sent shooting through the rooms, smashing 137 00:10:55,679 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: into pieces against the walls. By the following week, the 138 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: housemaids agreed that something must be done. None of them 139 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: were particularly religious, but rather than risk ridicule by alerting 140 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: the authorities, they turned first to the local church for help, 141 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: who agreed to send some one out to the house 142 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: the following day. That night, Kirsty and Andrew lay in bed, 143 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: keeping an eye on their daughter, Jasmine, asleep in a 144 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: nearby cot. Moments later, with the lights off and Andrew 145 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: now snoring softly beside her, Kirsty heard a strange noise 146 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: emanating from out of the dark of the room. It 147 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: was the sound of something scratching, perhaps a critter outside, 148 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: she thought, until slowly it grew louder and closer, sounding 149 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: for all the world like it was creeping along the 150 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: wall towards her. Now, who scared to move, Kirsty could 151 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: only listen with terror as the source of the noise 152 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: continued to draw near, the sound getting louder. The movement 153 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 1: of it was unmistakable. It was as if somebody was 154 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 1: crawling through the wall, and then it stopped. Kirsty hurriedly 155 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: switched on the light, but found only her partner and 156 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: daughter in there with her. The only sound the gentle 157 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: breathing of baby Jasmine and the softly snoring Andrew. When father, 158 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: Stephen Desza arrived the following day, he found the tenants 159 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: severely sleep deprived and deeply upset. After being welcomed into 160 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: the house, Desuza had only just turned to walk out 161 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: of the kitchen when someone shouted for him to duck. 162 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: Turning back, he was horrified to see a stake knife 163 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: being straight toward him. He threw his hands up to 164 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: protect himself, only to see the knife stop in mid 165 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,959 Speaker 1: air and fall straight to the floor without a bounce. 166 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: It was as if it had connected with something invisible 167 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 1: standing right in front of him. After witnessing a number 168 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: of similar incidents that morning, to Suzer was convinced that 169 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: a restless spirit had been unleashed in the house, perhaps 170 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: drawn there by one of the tenants. It was to 171 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: Salz's opinion that, unbeknownst to themselves, this tenant was a 172 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: natural medium, unable to offer much more than prayer. The 173 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: priest assured the housemates that whatever it was would leave 174 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: them soon. The next day, as if de Soza's reassuring 175 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: presence had been enough, the bizarre activity ceased. Three days later, however, 176 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: it was back. Are you always taking care of your family? 177 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: Do you often take care of others and not yourself? 178 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: Now it's time to take care of yourself, to make 179 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 1: time for you. You deserve it. Teledoc gives you access 180 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: to a licensed therapist to help you get back to 181 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: feeling your best, to feeling like yourself again. With teledoc, 182 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: you can speak to a licensed therapist by phone or video. 183 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: Therapy appointments are available seven days a week from seven 184 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 1: am to nine pm local time. If you feel overwhelmed 185 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: sometimes maybe you feel stressed or anxious, depressed or lonely, 186 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: or you might be struggling with a personal or family issue, 187 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: teledoc can help. Teledoc is committed to facilitating great therapeutic matches, 188 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: so they make it easy to change counselors if needed. 189 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: For free. Teledoc therapy is available through most insurance or employers. 190 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: Download the app or visit teledoc dot com forward slash 191 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: unexplained podcast today to get started. That's teladoc dot com 192 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: slash unexplained podcast now thoroughly spooted by Dosza's conclusion. At 193 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 1: the first sign of further activity, the tenants wasted little 194 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: time in contacting the church again, but this time local 195 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: parish priest Tom English agreed to assist them. Like Desoza, 196 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: Within moments of his arrival, English was treated to a 197 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: barrage of flying objects sent whizzing about his head. As 198 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: English would later remark, each object came flying across rooms 199 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: or through doorways, with no one remotely near wherever they 200 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: must have come from. Things took a more ominous turn 201 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: when English felt something flop onto his foot and looked 202 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: down to find a pistol cartridge coming to rest on 203 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: the carpet. English instinctively reached for his Bible and began 204 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: to read from the Book of Psalms. Then, as he 205 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: gently intoned the words, he reached with his free hand 206 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: into his pocket and pulled out a vial of holy water. 207 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: Unscrewing the bottle with his fingers, He proceeded to flick 208 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: it into the corners of the room. A loud crash 209 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: was heard as another ashtray smashed and splintered against the wall, 210 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: fragments of glass littering the floor. On he continued throughout 211 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: the house, making sure to bless every room. At each 212 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: flick of the water, another crash would be heard, followed 213 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: by the appearance of random objects on the floor, spanners, batteries, 214 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:59,239 Speaker 1: spark plugs, and more bullets. Reverent English left the flatmates 215 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 1: with a cruise affix and a bible, completely dumb struck 216 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: by what he had seen. Some days they would be 217 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: treated to a single incident, sometimes nothing at all. Other 218 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: days the tenants would be forced to endure a bombardment 219 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: of articles for hours at a time. Strangely, they were 220 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: never hurt by any of the objects, and any that 221 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: did hit them would only ever do so with the 222 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: lightest of touches. As the end of March approaches, the 223 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: rains are beginning to lighten, the floodwaters beginning to recede, 224 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: and the skies starting to clear. What follows is the 225 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 1: season of bangar Rang, the time of great storms before 226 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 1: the relative calm of the coming winter months. Since everything 227 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: had begun The tenants had been cautious, only to talk 228 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: to close friends about their experiences, weary of what others 229 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: might think. In late March, they invite a couple, Annette 230 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 1: and Lloyd, over to the house to witness the events 231 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: for themselves. They will not be disappointed. Almost immediately, they 232 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: are bombarded by objects that ricochet through the house. Then 233 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: a strange rustling noise alerts the group to movement in 234 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: the hallway. Stepping through to investigate, they find a large 235 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:36,919 Speaker 1: cross and what looks like a trident made from a 236 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:43,400 Speaker 1: pile of pebbles on the floor. Dave approaches it, noticing 237 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 1: something especially peculiar. The pebbles are stacked in rows on 238 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: top of each other, as if something were holding them 239 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 1: in place. Slowly he bends down to touch them, but 240 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:02,640 Speaker 1: at the moment of contact, something extraordinary occurs. The stones 241 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: scatter in every direction, flying off against the walls and 242 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:12,199 Speaker 1: down the hallway. Though all of this was undoubtedly strange, 243 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: the housemates had by now become accustomed to the peculiar events, 244 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: and although unnerved at times, they had never felt truly 245 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: threatened by what they had seen. But all that was 246 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: about to change. One morning in early April, with storm 247 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: winds swirling and battering against the outside of the house. 248 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: Andrew has just made his way into the shower when 249 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: he notices something unexpected on the floor, a pile of 250 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: pebbles fashioned with some precision into the word car, and 251 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 1: next to it another word made from an assemblance of 252 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 1: scrabble block that spelt out skin. Unsure what the two 253 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: words could mean, Andrew heads off to inform the others, 254 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: wandering into the living room to find Kirsty staring aghast 255 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: at something recently scrawled onto the wall. Fire and help. 256 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: And there is one final word, but Mirth hadn't needed 257 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: to see it to know what it all meant, and 258 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: when the others saw it, they understood too. There on 259 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: the wall, scrawled in dark blue ink, was a name Troy. 260 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: Earlier that year, on the seventeenth of January nineteen ninety eight, 261 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: shortly before the strange events began, Mirth's best friend, Troy Radats, 262 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: had been driving with another friend in a loaded with 263 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: paint thinner barely two kilometers from ninety mcminn's drive. The 264 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: vehicle was involved in a crash, resulting in a catastrophic explosion, 265 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:16,919 Speaker 1: immersing the car in a ball of flame. The twenty 266 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: four year old Troy and his passenger were burned alive, 267 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: but as Murth was quick to spot, something about the 268 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 1: name was off. Troy spelt his name with an O 269 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: U and a Y. Whoever wrote this message had left 270 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: out the U. Deeply troubled by the latest turn in events, 271 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: the friends discussed everything that night. Could it really be 272 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 1: the spirit of their deceased friend, concluding that surely Troy 273 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: would know how to spell his name. Their relief at 274 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: realizing it wasn't their friend was only a temporary one. 275 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: After all. If it wasn't Troy, then who or what 276 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: was it. Despite the housemate's best efforts to keep the 277 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: strange events to themselves, it wasn't long before the local 278 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: media got wind of the apparent poltergeist terrorizing the occupants 279 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 1: of ninety Mukmen's Drive. Two reporters from the local paper, 280 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 1: The Litchfield Times arrived to interview the residence and within 281 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: minutes were showered in pebbles raining down on them from 282 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: inside the house. However, when they published their article, Kirsty Andrew, Dave, 283 00:22:54,720 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 1: Jill and Mirth's worst fears were realized. Not only were 284 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 1: they ridiculed, for their troubles, but few were willing to 285 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: believe they hadn't staged the whole thing for publicity. Worst 286 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: for Kirsty were those who criticized her as a stay 287 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: at home mother for allowing such a charade to continue. 288 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: The article had also attracted the attention of their landlords, 289 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 1: who soon after turned up at the property. Horrified to 290 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: find the place in such a state of disarray. With 291 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: little patience for their tenants outlandish explanation for the mess, 292 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: their landlords demanded they vacate the premises immediately. The magistrate's 293 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 1: court were similarly unsympathetic, but luckily for the tenants, upheld 294 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: their right to stay after it was established that the 295 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: house itself hadn't been damaged, only the private property of 296 00:23:55,800 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: the residence. When producers of the pill Sydney based Channel 297 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:05,199 Speaker 1: seven show Today to Night contacted the housemates around the 298 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: same time, it seemed the perfect opportunity to prove the 299 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: skeptics wrong. Though some suggested that two thousand dollar fee 300 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:18,440 Speaker 1: they received in return had been more of a motivating factor, 301 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: four hundred dollars apiece seemed scant consolation for putting themselves 302 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: out there once more. Over the course of five days, 303 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: a two person camera crew, along with program presenter Greg Quayle, 304 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: two Darwin based camera operators Danny simm and Jared City, 305 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:43,400 Speaker 1: and Sydney journalist Max Anderson, kept a constant vigil at 306 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: the property. Their initial intention had been to expose what 307 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: they assumed to be a hoax, but would soon be 308 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 1: forced to change their approach. Like other visitors before them, 309 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: they were treated to a host of strange phenomen from 310 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: falling pebbles to flying cutlery and smashed glass. Not once 311 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: did they see any of the house's residence initiating it. However, 312 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,439 Speaker 1: despite the hours of footage they recorded, neither did they 313 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:19,120 Speaker 1: manage to catch the phenomena in action, but they did 314 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: find something intriguing. A building maintenance expert was flown in 315 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: to conduct thermal imaging of the objects in the moment 316 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: after they were thrown. Ordinarily, an object thrown by human 317 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: hands would show residual heat marks where the fingers had been. 318 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: What they found instead, time after time was a uniform 319 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: heat that covered the entirety of the object. After a 320 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:58,479 Speaker 1: week of filming, Sym and Sootie stayed on to capture 321 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: more footage while the best of the team went home. 322 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: When the Channel seven crew returned to their offices, chief 323 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 1: editor Jimmy Hamilton found them spooked and unsettled by the experience. 324 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: A few days later, the first part of the show aired. 325 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: It portrayed an every day bunch of flatmates seemingly besieged 326 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: by a series of strange happenings, with Quail vowing to 327 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 1: find the ultimate proof of it. In the following episode. 328 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 1: When the editor reviewed the next batch of footage, however, 329 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 1: everything changed. Jim Sootie had finally captured some action on camera, 330 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: a plastic pot lid that had flown across the family 331 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 1: room and collided with the far wall. Only Kirsty had 332 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:52,439 Speaker 1: been present in the room at the time, standing to 333 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: the side quietly folding clothes. Looking back at the footage 334 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 1: at the moment lid appeared, the editor had caught sight 335 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: of something reflected in a mirror at the far side 336 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:11,120 Speaker 1: of the shot. It was Kirsty, who had almost imperceptibly 337 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: flinched just before the lid came into view, fearing they 338 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,159 Speaker 1: had been made to look like fools. When the second 339 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: show aired, it was a somewhat different piece that claimed 340 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 1: Kirsty as the orchestrator of a hoax. Later, Quail, admittedly 341 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 1: exasperated by the revelation, called Kirsty and demanded to know, 342 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:42,439 Speaker 1: in no uncertain terms if she had been responsible. Quail 343 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: will later say that she eventually confessed that she was. 344 00:27:55,720 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: Although after the airing of To Day to Night's second episode, 345 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: he were quick to draw a line under the events 346 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: alleged to have occurred at ninety mcminn's drive, a few 347 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: more details had yet to come to light. Channel seven 348 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: may have washed their hands of the tenants, but it 349 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: seemed whatever was plague in them had little intention of 350 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 1: doing the same. According to researchers Tony Healy and Paul Cropper, 351 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: the apparent poltergeist activity continued for some time after the 352 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: film crew had left. When they spoke to Kirsty about 353 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: her conversation with Quail, she maintained that she never once 354 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: admitted to being responsible for the activity. Healy and Cropper 355 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: would themselves go on to witness an assortment of strange things, 356 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 1: along with a number of journalists who also visited the property. 357 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: Nicky Voss, chief of staff at the Northern Territory News, 358 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 1: together with her camera operator, had been hit by pebbles 359 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: in the back of their neck, despite both standing against 360 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: the wall at the time. While interviewing Kirsty, ABC reporter 361 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 1: Tracy Ferrar, a trained technician, claimed to have received electric 362 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: shocks from the microphone and even described witnessing a TV 363 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: remote being lifted unaided into the air. I know what 364 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: I saw, she would later tell fellow journalist Frank Robson 365 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: of the Sydney Morning Herald, and it wasn't a hoax. 366 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 1: Jim Soutie, who had been in the room with Kirsty 367 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: when he caught the footage of the controversial flying lid 368 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 1: slamming into a wall, maintained that she hadn't thrown anything 369 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: at all. Journalist Frank Robson would also witness the same 370 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: extraordinary goings on, finding no evidence that it had been 371 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: perpetrated by the house it's residence, and there was one 372 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: final revelation. Although it is true that nothing peculiar had 373 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 1: occurred at the house before Troy Raddatz's death in early January, 374 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: if you were looking at that for an explanation, it 375 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: was also about this time that Kirsty, Jasmine and Andrew 376 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 1: moved into the property. It wouldn't be until some time 377 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 1: after the escalation of events at mcminn's drive that Andrew 378 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: had ever given it much thought, though the flatmates maintained 379 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: Kirsty was not deliberately responsible. It had happened before, back 380 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: when Kirsty and Andrew had lived in Bachelor, a town 381 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: sixty od kilometers south of Humpty. The pair had then 382 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: also been plagued by hailing stones, but had put it 383 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: down to local kids messing about. Some time after, Andrew 384 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 1: took a job working a drill on a construction site 385 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: in the coastal suburb of Gosford in New South Wales. 386 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: At some point one of the workers had entered the 387 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: mess to grab a coffee mug, only to find that 388 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: they had mysteriously all vanished. The cups later appeared dotted 389 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: about the site in odd and hard to reach places, 390 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: sometimes perched high on top of tall posts or the 391 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 1: roofs of surrounding buildings. The strange event had coincided with 392 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: the arrival of a new member of staff in the mess, Kirsty. 393 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 1: If you enjoy listening to Unexplained and would like to 394 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: help supporters, you can now go to Unexplained podcast dot 395 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 1: com forward slash support All donations no matter how large 396 00:31:53,480 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: or small, are massively appreciated. All elements of Unexplained are 397 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: produced by me, Richard McClain Smith. Please subscribe and rate 398 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: the show on iTunes, and feel free to get in 399 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: touch with any thoughts or ideas regarding the stories you've 400 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: heard on the show. Perhaps you have an explanation of 401 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: your own you'd like to share. You can reach us 402 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: online at Unexplained podcast dot com or on Twitter at 403 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: Unexplained Pod. Now. It's time to take care of yourself. 404 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: To make time for you, teledoc gives you access to 405 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: a licensed therapist to help you get back to feeling 406 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 1: your best. Speak to a licensed therapist by phone or 407 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: video any time between seven am to nine pm local time, 408 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: seven days a week. Teledoc Therapy is available through most 409 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: insurance or employers. 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