Although I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, please refrain from negative feedback of any kind, I would appreciate honest and helpful advice, this is my first submission of an event that happened to me two years ago in Regional New South Wales, where I have grown up (and where my family heritage is based), and I am still a bit sensitive about it to this day; and write this purely as a warning to future generations, or to anyone who happens to visit this certain location, and to reach out to people with similar stories.
Now, where I live is a small rural town called Glen Innes, in the Northern Tablelands of NSW, but the actual event happened 30km out of town on the range of the Old Grafton Road around dusk during late winter. My mother and I travelled out of town to stay with her friends on the weekend who lived on a commune called Wytaliba along the Mann river; and as a tradition before entering the property, when descending the range down into the valley, to park your car once crossing a small dip in the road called Diehard creek, and to get out and wash your feet in the water. People just beleived it was symbolic of washing all of the negativity from town away. My mum and I both thought it was an odd tradition but we always entertained the idea, and always enjoyed washing our feet in the crystal clear water.
This one particular afternoon was chilly and crisp and we were looking forward to spending our weekend around a bonfire, that we almost didn't stop this time, but my mum felt like there was just enough daylight to jump out to quickly dip our feet. As I got out I noticed the last moment of sunlight trickle down through the treetops along the ridgeline above us (the roads snaked down the side of the mountain so I was looking up towards the top) when I noticed a small ambient white light roughly 30m above us through the scrub. I was looking directly up the creek and thought that maybe someone was walking around with a torch checking rabbit traps (my best guess). I turned to my mum who was washing her hands in the water and asked her what she thought it was.
The moment she turned and squinted through the trees, the light shot down directly towards us, in an eerily straight line. The next thing I remember is splashing, and my mum ripping me towards the car by my shirt arm and throwing her large jacket over our heads as she laid beside me on the backseat. She didn't let me look outside or move for what felt like an hour. I also remember feeling an icy breeze settle over me and an almost overpowering temptation to peek out from the jacket. But my mum was insistent and absolutely spooked. It was almost like she was acting on motherly instincts at the time.
When it was truly dark, my mum peeked out and climbed in the front seat and started the car. She quickly drove away but kept an eye on her rear vision mirror the entire trip down. It wasn't until later that night that she told me what we had seen. She called it a 'MinMin Light' and according to our local aboriginal folklore (I am part Nagoorabul, the native aboriginal tribe / Glen Innes area) that her grandmother had warned her about - the MinMin are lost souls of children who drowned in creeks and waterholes and were always searching for other souls (usually small children) to lure away to drown / join them. She told me that they're mostly active during late afternoon and nighttime, but sometimes during the early morning, and that they're almost always found close-by bodies of water.
She also explained that looking at the lights directly within a close proximity, left people in a trance-like state and that many people who become hypnotized and follow the MinMin are never seen again. I had chills for a solid month afterwards and still to this day fear crossing that same creek at dusk.
I am just curious if anyone else in Australia, or particularly New South Wales, have experienced anything similar to this? Or have similar stories they wish to share?
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