A 53-year-old delivery driver claimed to have had a terrifying encounter with Australia’s Bigfoot—known colloquially as the Yowie—in November of 2018, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

The driver, identified only as Gary, said that he encountered the Yowie while driving in a remote area of Gold Coast’s hinterland.

The Gold Coast is a coastal city in the extreme southeast corner of Queensland, Australia. Queensland has long been a hotbed of Yowie sightings, with 76 sightings recorded by Australian Yowie Research dating back to 1932, and four sightings reported to the organization in 2018.

Gary said that he was forced to slam on his brakes when the hairy hominid suddenly appeared from out of the bush. The truck driver said the beast stood well over 6' tall, had brown eyes, and was covered in fur. He said it struck the hood of his truck before disappearing back into the dense forest.

“Underneath the hair you could see pecs and abs and all sorts of stuff,” he said. “I was shocked.”

The encounter was a decidedly unpleasant event for the man.

“It was the worst thing that has ever happened to me,” Gary said. “I tried to push it [to] the back of my head, and think ‘that was freaky, it just can’t be real’. I just couldn’t get it out of my mind. I was having trouble sleeping at night.”

A sketch of the creature given to Yowie investigator Dean Harrison. (Image credit: Dean Harrison/Australian Yowie Research) — A sketch of the creature given to Yowie investigator Dean Harrison. *(Image credit: Dean Harrison/Australian Yowie Research)*

Gary said that he had no belief in the creature prior to his encounter, and that he was afraid of the response he might receive if he told his story—including what his wife's reaction would be.

Luckily, she believed him, he said.

Unfortunately, the dashboard camera in Gary’s truck was reportedly being serviced on the day of his sighting, and the speed of the encounter combined with his shock at seeing the creature meant he was unable to get his own camera out in time.

“The whole thing lasted for five seconds, and you are staring this monster in the face watching it to make sure it isn’t going to step around at you. You are scared for your life, not grabbing for a camera," he said.

He's only driven the same route again once since his sighting, and doubts he'll have another run-in with a Yowie anytime soon.

“I was a little bit shaky going past the site. I figure it is a one in an million thing,” Gary said. “Lightning doesn’t strike twice. On the other hand I would like to see it with a camera just to prove it.”

Gary reported his sighting to Dean Harrison of Australian Yowie Research, an investigator and believer in Yowie.

“Dean has been really comforting and understanding,” he said. “It was good to approach someone about it and know they wouldn’t laugh.”

Harrison was impressed with the sighting, and doesn’t pay attention to those who would dismiss it.

“It was the sighting of the century,” Harrison said. “People choose not to believe it, but skeptics are of no consequence to me, we believe based on the facts we are presented with. People should be vigilant and aware these things do exist.”

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