Figure 1. Aerial view of the great “sinkhole” at Inskip Point, Queensland, Australia, 2015.
Joe Nickell, PhD, is a former stage magician, private investigator, and scholar. He has investigated in over two dozen countries and is author, coauthor, or editor of some forty books.
Strange mysteries may be found almost anywhere, but they seem especially plentiful and interesting in Australia. I investigated several during my first (2000) and second (2016) trips Down Under (including New Zealand on the latter). And I only scratched the surface. In addition to the several articles that have resulted—some old and some more recent (e.g., Nickell 2001; 2016)—I offer three diverse mysteries I chanced upon in Queensland: a dramatic event that sparked thoughts of UFOs, a “haunted” historic inn, and an alleged miracle-working saint. Here is my take on each.