Originally posted by vaticinus
tip for anyone researching this:
I was in the Grampian mountains this past summer and read a bunch of articles in a roadside Tea-house which had article clippings of a bunch of
non-indigenous "big cats" (dunno exactly which ones) being released into the bush by American WWII pilots who kept them as mascots.
May sound ridiculous but there's pictures to prove it out there somewhere, I saw em
I believe you both I've had my own sighting as well I'll post about it next post

.
Originally posted by Jacob08 I remember hearing about the Panther "myth" when I was visiting a friend in Gympie a few years ago. He
told me about it when he was drunk and until now I figured he was making it up. It was a few years ago so I can't remember the exact details but
according to him there was a ship carrying some Panthers that sank on one of the reefs up there over 100 years ago, the panthers survived and their
offspring have been living in the wild ever since. You can see why I didn't believe the story, still don't but this article is interesting none the
less.
I've read about sightings in Perth,story goes along the lines of in WW2 or WW1

(not sure) there were GI's stationed in Perth,after the war
they were supposed to put their mascots down which were pumas,most didn't and were released into the wild (I would of too).
Another Story:
Source:
Over the last 100 -150 years a large number of people have reported seeing large cats, up to lion size, in the Australian bush. These sightings have
included animals like the Emmaville panther, the Kangaroo Valley panther and' the Grampians puma. Some believe that these animals are descendents of
puma brought to Australia by American goldminers during the Australian gold rush in the mid-nineteenth century. This may explain why these sightings
are generally made along the Great Dividing Range in eastern Australia and in the south-west of 'Western Australia where most of the early gold
mining activity took place.
In Victoria there are a lot of sighting even a Carcass of a Panther was found once but was stolen next night before an autopsy.I've seen one very
good still picture of a Panther in a paddock walking along a story which was on a documentary on these panthers it was stated the reason the Park
Rangers wouldn't confirm these Beasts as they would have to close the park for liability reasons to the public.
Here's another report from a guy who hit one in his car

Springbrook (QLD) Saturday 25/09/2008 which is not far from Glenwood (QLD).
Source:
20081022 - Springbrook (QLD) Sighting - Saturday 25/09/2008 about 2:00 am Reported 27/10/2008 Subject: Sighting Springbrook Hi Paul, My mate and I
are avid photographers, yesterday (saturday 25th oct) we set off from Brisbane at 2am to head to Springbrook national park before sunset. We were
traveling through Neranwood at about 3:30am when I hit something in the car, looking back I saw a massive black cat conintuing to run across the road.
No damage to the car and I swerved so the impact was light. No sign of the cat near the scrub on the road though we both weren't game to go looking.
Estimated size 800cm to 1m not including tail. Are sightings common around Springbrook area? I'd like to find out more information of sightings in
Queensland, in particular Brisbane area, or information explaining what I saw. Thanks Paul, Steve Author / Witness - Steve B... - Reported -
Wednesday 27/10/2008 - 3:10 AM
A lot more sightings here as well
Panthers
Sources:
uqconnect.net...
www.mysteriousaustralia.com...
Here's more good paw print pictures in snow at Mt Buller Victoria:
Source:
20080714 - Mt. Buller (VIC) Sighting Date 11/07/2008 at 12:46 pm - Reported 14/07/2008 Subject:- big cat foot prints Hi, I was motorbike riding
in the mountains near Mt. Buller on the weekend and found these foot prints in the snow , what do you think these are. one photo has the top of my
boot next to it. thanks Paul B..... Author / Witness - Paul B..... - Reported 14/07/08
Zelong.
[edit on 14/1/09 by Zelong]