Guns, hounds and a £50 bounty: Was there ever a "monster" in Wonthaggi?

There were 52 sightings of the beast - thought to be a Tasmanian Tiger - back in the day, but no one ever caught it.

Author

Jacob Wallace
July 31, 2026

In 1955, a story broke about a Wonthaggi resident spotting what may - or may not - have been a Thylacine around Wonthaggi.

In the 1950s and 60s there were numerous sightings of a strange, striped, tiger-like animal, and over time the legend of the Wonthaggi Monster became part of Bass Coast Shire folklore.

Take a look at a short video history of the animal below.