Weeks after the government declared the Blue Mountains big cat file closed, a Sydney father has spoken of a terrifying encounter with a panther-like creature outside his home.
Peter Russell told NSW Police he feared for his life after being stalked by a large, ''completely foreign'' feline predator at Riverstone, on the fringes of dense national park bushland.
It has been sighted at least 12 times in the Riverstone area over recent years. On Thursday, the member for Hawkesbury, Ray Williams, warned the government to ''rethink'' its position or face being ''accountable'' in the event of a tragedy.
But today, the O'Farrell government has put its faith in the findings of New Zealand invasive species expert John Parkes, who scoffed at the notion in October, labelling the 500 eyewitness accounts as ''at best prima facie evidence'', saying ''large dogs, large feral cats or swamp wallabies'' were the likely candidates.
The latest eyewitness disagrees. On December 5, Mr Russell went to investigate why his neighbour's dogs were acting ''so distressed''.
He said, as he looked along the path that led up the street, a very large, broad, cat-like creature ran straight for him.
''This was definitely no dog,'' he said. ''It had a low rumbling growl. It was between knee and hip height, extremely stocky and very fast. I spun on my heel and ran back towards the house. I didn't know that I was going to make it to the door.
''My mind was completely thrown by what I had just witnessed. I thought I was a goner.''
Mr Russell made it safely inside and called Riverstone police.
''The officer laughed and I acknowledged her reaction was understandable,'' he said. ''But I also explained that if some poor kid ends up being taken, and I hadn't called, I would be left devastated.''
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Is this old chestnut still going?
I'm sceptical, but on the other hand, there have been so many reported sightings.
It seems unlikely though, doesn't it, that a female and a male panther just happened to escape from a circus many years ago and their descendants are still turning up in front yards of residential areas?
Although Riverstone is still fairly wooded in some areas.
