Welcome to a whirlwind tour of the 10 truly bizarre events that have left the Bass Strait Triangle shrouded in mystery. This stretch of water, sandwiched between Victoria’s southern coast and Tasmania, has been a playground for the unexplained, from vanished aircraft to ghostly lights.

Why These 10 Truly Bizarre Cases Captivate Researchers

10 The ‘Invisible Plane’ Encounter Of Jason Manifold

On the very day that Fred Valentich vanished—October 21, 1978—Roy Manifold snapped a photograph of a puzzling object hovering over the Bass Strait (see image above). While scholars still debate whether the object is linked to Valentich’s disappearance, the picture is widely regarded as authentic because no evidence of digital manipulation has surfaced.

Roy’s son, Jason, stayed outside while his father retreated to his shed after taking the shot. Though Jason didn’t see the object himself, he reported hearing the whine of an aircraft engine overhead. Rather than fading away as a typical engine would, the sound abruptly cut off “as if someone had switched a radio off,” leaving a profound silence in its wake.

Manifold is convinced that the eerie silence he heard is tied to Valentich’s fate. Intriguingly, this exact detail resurfaces in another entry on our list, an incident that occurred almost exactly 44 years later, suggesting a haunting pattern across decades.

9 Miss Hobart

In October 1934, under flawless weather conditions, the airliner Miss Hobart disappeared without a trace while crossing the Bass Strait. Aboard were eleven souls—nine passengers and two pilots—and despite exhaustive searches by both military aircraft and naval vessels, neither the aircraft nor any wreckage was ever recovered.

Aviation historians both then and now label the loss as a genuine enigma. The de Havilland DH86, pictured above, was among the most sophisticated aircraft of its era, boasting four independent engines. The odds of all four failing simultaneously are astronomically low, and even in such a scenario, the plane’s design should have allowed for an emergency landing.

The final transmission from the Miss Hobart eerily mirrors the Manifold story: the crew reported hearing the hum of another aircraft nearby and even described an “aerial machine” approaching. Suddenly, that humming ceased, and the aircraft vanished forever, leaving only the mystery of that silent cut‑off.

8 The Loina Incident

Roughly a year after the Miss Hobart disappearance, another plane—the Loina—went missing while en route from Melbourne to Tasmania. The aircraft had just radioed the Tasmanian control tower, announcing its intention to commence the landing approach, when all communication abruptly ceased.

Five individuals were on board: three passengers and two pilots. No bodies were ever recovered, yet a modest amount of wreckage was later retrieved from the sea, including three seats, fragments of the fuel tank, and a curious piece of the aircraft’s floor. This floor fragment bore a small, intensely burned patch only a few centimeters wide, with surrounding material suggesting someone had frantically tried to smother the flames.

The origin and significance of that scorching mark remain a mystery, leaving investigators to wonder whether it holds any clue to the aircraft’s abrupt disappearance.

7 SS Amelia J.

In 1920, the cargo vessel SS Amelia J. entered the notorious Bass Strait and vanished without a trace shortly after crossing the waterway. The Australian military launched a massive search, only to lose two of its own aircraft during the operation. Witnesses reported strange, luminous phenomena hovering above the sea at the time.

This incident is often cited as the earliest Bass Strait case with a possible UFO connection. Similar disappearances occurred in the early 1900s: the SS Federal vanished in 1901 with 22 crew members, and the German cargo ship Ferdinand Fischer disappeared in 1906, both amidst reports of mysterious lights.

6 Westall UFO

Although not directly over the Bass Strait, the Westall UFO sighting unfolded just north of the triangle’s perimeter, making it impossible to ignore. On April 6, 1966, a group of Melbourne schoolchildren and teachers observed a massive disc‑shaped object gliding calmly above their cricket field before it drifted into the surrounding trees and vanished.

Eyewitnesses later reported that the primary craft was accompanied by five smaller objects, either trailing in pursuit or acting as a guiding formation, depending on which account you believe. This multi‑craft formation has cemented the Westall incident as one of Australia’s most famous UFO encounters.

5 The Bruny Island Disappearance

Fans of the TV series The Kettering Incident may recall that its plot draws heavily from real‑world mysteries along Tasmania’s coast, especially those surrounding the Bass Strait. Co‑creator Vikki Madden has spoken openly about the eerie lights she witnessed growing up near Bruny Island, where strange illuminations would flicker over treetops and the myriad islands dotting the strait.

The most baffling case from that area involves a young woman who vanished without a trace from Bruny Island. Investigators found her bedroom untouched, her purse full of cash left on the nightstand, and no sign of a struggle or any intention to leave. The absence of any personal belongings or luggage makes the disappearance all the more perplexing.

Subsequent inquiries uncovered reports of unusual lights observed on the night she disappeared, suggesting a possible link between the luminous phenomena and her sudden vanishing.

4 The 1978 Tasmania/Victoria UFO Wave

In the weeks surrounding Fred Valentich’s infamous encounter, a wave of bizarre sightings rippled across Tasmania and Victoria’s coastlines. On October 9, a married couple reported a bright light descending to the level of their car, matching its speed and traveling alongside them for a short distance.

Exactly a month later, a Hobart taxi driver slammed his brakes when a strange green glow materialized in the middle of the road, simultaneously causing his radio to fail. By the time he glanced back, the luminous object had vanished without a trace.

On November 25, a resident of Sanfrod described a “doorway of light” appearing suddenly in front of her home. Remarkably, she could see straight through this portal to her driveway on the opposite side—a phenomenon reminiscent of ancient tales describing dimensional gateways.

3 The Disappearance Of The Charleston

In December 1979, the yacht Charleston set sail with a crew of five, aiming to reach Sydney in time for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Days passed without any contact, prompting a frantic search effort involving multiple aircraft.

Despite the extensive sweep, neither the vessel nor its crew were ever located. Theories abound: some suggest a sudden gale may have damaged the mast or that a stray container from nearby traffic could have crippled the rudder, potentially sending the yacht drifting toward remote islands south of New Zealand.

Adding a paranormal twist, the families of the missing crew consulted a clairvoyant who claimed the yacht had ended up on an uncharted island far south of its last known position. To this day, the fate of the Charleston remains an unresolved mystery.

2 World War II Accounts

The Bass Strait was a hotbed of unexplained activity during World War II, even though no enemy aircraft were ever officially recorded in the region. Remarkably, seventeen military planes were lost over these waters throughout the conflict.

In 1944, a mysterious “dark shadow” materialized beside a Bristol Beaufort bomber, lingering for nearly twenty minutes before accelerating upward at astonishing speed and disappearing from sight.

Two years earlier, in 1942, an Australian fighter pilot was dispatched to investigate fishermen’s reports of strange lights. While patrolling, he encountered a massive bronze‑colored disc that hovered beside his aircraft for several moments before vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

1 20th Century Accounts

The Bass Strait’s reputation for disappearances stretches back to the 18th century. The earliest recorded loss was the vessel Eliza in 1797, which vanished while attempting a rescue mission for the wrecked Sydney Cove. The ship simply disappeared from the face of the Earth during the operation.

In 1858, the British warship HMS Sappho met a similar fate, sinking without a trace after entering the treacherous waters. Twelve years later, the Harlech Castle vanished, taking all twenty‑three crew members with her.

These historic incidents hint at a long‑standing, perhaps natural, phenomenon that has eluded explanation for centuries. Unless researchers uncover the underlying cause behind the relentless string of vanished ships, planes, and even people, the Bass Strait Triangle will likely continue to generate new, baffling mysteries for years to come.

When you talk about dance music, nothing sets a crowd into motion quite like a legendary, funky bass line. The deep, throbbing vibrations from a solid bass guitar can send people straight to the dance floor—or even into the kitchen, cooking up a storm while the groove takes over. This guide walks you through the top ten funkiest bass lines that have defined funk and keep listeners moving.

Top Ten Funkiest Bass Lines Overview

10 The Beatles: “Drive My Car”

The Beatles aren’t typically labeled a funk outfit, yet each member was a massive devotee of American soul and R&B, influences that inevitably seeped into their own compositions.

This track, issued as a single from the Rubber Soul album, was chiefly penned by Paul McCartney while John Lennon supplied the lyrical flair, and it was laid down in late 1965. McCartney’s bass work dives like a bomb, propelling the song forward just as the lyrical car metaphor suggests.

The refrain “Baby, you can drive my car” doubles as a cheeky nod to an old blues euphemism for intimacy.

Most likely performed on McCartney’s iconic Hofner violin‑shaped bass and highlighted in the mix by producer George Martin, this line borders on the birth of funk and even heavy metal, leaving a lasting imprint on successive generations of musicians across both genres.

9 James Brown: “I Feel Good”

When James Brown dropped “I Feel Good” on King Records in October 1965, it signaled a turning point in mainstream music as “funk” emerged as a distinct style. Funk grew out of blues and jazz roots, emphasizing a stripped‑down, rhythm‑centric groove—especially the bass—over melodic complexity.

The track’s driving force comes from Brown’s unmistakable vocal punch paired with the popping bass line from David “Hooks” Williams. Recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, the single has since been licensed for countless film and TV spots, from the soundtrack of The Big Chill to an episode of The Simpsons.

It became Brown’s highest‑charting single, climbing to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

8 Sly and the Family Stone: “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”

By the time Sly and the Family Stone—an interracial ensemble from San Francisco—released this song in 1969, funk was flourishing both on the charts and in clubs.

Although the group already had several charting records, “Thank You” broke through as a #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit in February 1970. The track’s lyrical bite (“Lookin’ at the devil / Grinnin’ at his gun / Fingers start shakin’ / I begin to run”) sits atop Larry Graham’s pioneering slap‑bass riff, marking a creative leap for both the band and the genre.

“Thank You” has been sampled extensively, most notably on Janet Jackson’s iconic “Rhythm Nation,” earning Sly Stone a production credit.

7 The Soul Machine: “Twichie Feet”

“Twichie Feet,” a relatively obscure 1968 instrumental penned by Leon Haywood—a soul and funk virtuoso from Houston—features a bass line that has been sampled dozens of times.

Although the original single failed to make a commercial splash—perhaps because audiences weren’t ready for its funkiness yet—the bass riff and accompanying guitar part have lived on through countless later recordings.

Music scholars, producers, and critics alike regularly hail “Twichie Feet” as a seminal early‑funk recording.

6 Commodores: “Brick House”

Before Lionel Richie became the smooth‑crooning solo star we all know, he cut his teeth with The Commodores, a band formed by students at Alabama’s Tuskegee Institute.

During a 1977 studio session, bassist Ronald LaPread kept looping a tight groove until the rest of the group caught on, with Richie adding saxophone flourishes. Lyricist William King supplied the words, and the track earned the title “Brick House,” a bold tribute to a curvaceous woman (measured in the U.S. as 36‑24‑36, or 91 cm × 60 cm × 91 cm for metric fans).

The single surged to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1977 and has since appeared in numerous movies, TV shows, and recurring “All‑Time Funk Classic” lists.

5 Aretha Franklin: “Rock Steady”

The “Queen of Soul” laid down a gritty, low‑down groove on this track, powered by the rumbling bass work of ace session player Chuck Rainey.

Departing from her usual gospel‑infused soul, “Rock Steady” leans into rhythm and blues, with Franklin credited as writer and also handling piano duties. The single peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1971.

Lifted from the album Young, Gifted, and Black, the song cemented Aretha’s status as a leading American recording artist across gospel, soul, and R & B.

4 The Gap Band: “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”

The Gap Band, an R & B crew from Tulsa, Oklahoma, enjoyed regional buzz before this 1982 smash, which detonated on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, reaching #2.

The record’s massive appeal landed it on many film soundtracks chronicling the disco era, and it even became a staple at American football stadiums, where teams blast a snippet after scoring a touchdown.

Beyond the thunderous bass riff, the track was among the first to exploit cutting‑edge synthesizer tech, featuring a whistling “bomb‑drop” sound before the first verse.

Although unrelated to politics or terrorism, the song was effectively blacklisted after the September 11 attacks, with many U.S. radio stations pulling it from rotation indefinitely.

3 Herbie Hancock: “Chameleon”

Better known for his jazz virtuosity, Herbie Hancock unleashed a funk juggernaut in 1973 with “Chameleon,” a sprawling 15‑minute centerpiece from his groundbreaking jazz‑funk album Head Hunters.

Recorded across several Bay‑Area studios, Head Hunters showcased Hancock’s willingness to push boundaries, assembling a roster of talented musicians who helped him explore uncharted sonic territory.

Eschewing guitars entirely, Hancock leaned on the Yamaha Clavinet for chordal work, while pioneering synthesizers added fresh textures. The iconic bass line in “Chameleon” wasn’t a bass guitar at all—it came from Hancock himself playing an early ARP Odyssey synth, a riff that’s been sampled countless times.

Head Hunters held the title of best‑selling jazz album until 1976, when George Benson’s Breezin’ surpassed it. The Library of Congress later added the record to the National Recording Registry for its cultural, historic, and aesthetic significance.

2 Cameo: “Word Up”

With its instantly recognizable lyric “Wave your hands in the air like you don’t care,” “Word Up” became unstoppable when it dropped as a single in 1986, climbing to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and snagging the Soul Train Music Award for Best R & B/Soul Single of the year.

The track’s infectious, bass‑heavy groove was crafted by bandmates Larry Blackmon and Tomi Jenkins, igniting dance floors from Germany to New Zealand. It also earned a reputation among exotic dancers for its sheer, attention‑grabbing rhythm.

“Word Up” has inspired a plethora of cover versions, ranging from metal renditions with soaring guitar solos to a pop spin by Mel B of the Spice Girls, and even a successful 2014 hit by British girl group Little Mix.

1 James Brown: “Cold Sweat”

James Brown entered the world in a modest one‑room shack on a South Carolina farm, the child of teenage parents. He first cut his teeth in local talent shows and gospel choirs, gradually transitioning into rhythm and blues and earning a reputation as a electrifying live act.

Brown assembled top‑tier backing bands, pushing them to perfection both onstage and in the studio, often performing up to 300 shows a year across southern nightclubs and auditoriums.

By 1965, after the million‑selling live album Live at the Apollo and a string of TV appearances, Brown and his Famous Flames captured the public’s imagination, birthing a new style that would be dubbed “funk” for its emphasis on bass and percussion over melody.

In 1967, Brown refined his vision with “Cold Sweat,” a seven‑minute odyssey built around a relentless bass‑and‑drum foundation, punctuated by percussive horns and a drum solo that eschewed traditional melody. The track abandoned the classic 12‑bar blues form, venturing into unexplored rhythmic territory.

Featuring bassist Bernard Odum and legendary drummer Clyde Stubblefield, “Cold Sweat” topped the Billboard Rhythm and Blues chart and left an indelible mark on popular music. Producer Jerry Wexler noted that while many musicians struggled to grasp Brown’s approach, others were instantly inspired to emulate it.

Over the decades, “Cold Sweat” has been sampled repeatedly by a host of producers and artists—from Public Enemy to DJ Shadow—cementing its legacy as a cornerstone of funk history.