Yowie: Animal Kingdom Resident or Hoax Down Under?

Think of the Yowie as Australia's Bigfoot. Nicole Antonio / DALL-E

The Yowie animal is a towering, hairy cryptid, often called Australian Bigfoot, and the debate over its existence has been raging for centuries. Reports of the yowie have sparked everything from Aboriginal legends to alleged sightings across the eastern Australian states.

It’s often said to resemble a hideous monster with very long black hair or sometimes even long white hair hanging over its face. With extraordinarily long arms, a flat nose, and possibly both large feet turned backward. Read on to learn the facts, theories and recorded Yowie sightings that keep this mystery alive.

Yowie Sightings in Australia's Blue Mountains

Sightings of the yowie date back centuries, with Indigenous tales describing a hairy man roaming the forests of New South Wales and Queensland. These stories were passed down for generations before European settlers arrived and started reporting their own encounters.

Many of these early yowie reports describe a massive creature with giant footprints — eerily similar to North America’s Sasquatch and the Himalayan Abominable Snowman.

Some of the most recent sightings have occurred in the Blue Mountains, where hikers and locals claim to have seen a towering beast with an ape-like appearance lurking among the trees.

One of the most famous alleged Yowie encounters was captured by Steve Piper, whose footage of a mysterious, shadowy figure has fueled heated debates among cryptid researchers.

What Does the Yowie Look Like?

The Yowie’s huge feet leave large footprints, although the number of toes varies from sighting to sighting. Some reports suggest the Yowie's feet appear more human than ape, while others claim they have talons like a prehistoric predator.

Beyond its feet, eyewitnesses describe a towering figure, nearly the same height as a tall human. Depending on the Yowie reports, it has either black or white hair, and it’s said to move with surprising speed for such a colossal creature.

Yowie Research

One of the biggest names in the Australian Yowie research scene, Dean Harrison, has spent years investigating modern-day sightings and collecting firsthand accounts. His work has been published in Anomalist Books, which dive deep into cryptozoology, paranormal events and unexplained phenomena.

Some researchers remain convinced that Yowie sightings provide enough evidence to suggest the existence of an undiscovered species of Australian apes. Others argue that the Yowie is nothing more than folklore, perhaps inspired by misidentified wildlife or human hoaxes.

Yowie Statues, Footprints, and the Public Fascination

The Yowie a part of Australia’s cultural identity. If you ever visit Queensland or New South Wales, you might stumble upon a Yowie statue in honor of this hairy man of the wilderness. These statues aren’t just for fun; they symbolize the lasting intrigue of this mythical creature.

Meanwhile, cryptid collectors and researchers continue to analyze footprints from alleged sightings. Some claim these casts prove the Yowie’s existence, while skeptics argue that they are likely hoaxes.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.