The Min Min I remember at Fairview near Kynuna, just used to appear right out in the direction where there was absolutely no roads, no homesteads, nothing.We used to call it the Duck Hole Min Min because it appeared from the direction of a water hole called the Duck Hole. You have to remember in those days there was no vehicles travelling around as there are today, and yet everybody knew everybody elses movements for 100 miles around.These Min Min lights were totally different from a camp fire.Sometimes a very bright light ,going down to a very weak torch light, very dull and a long way in the distance.

Stories from ABC radio Rockhampton, Queensland
"The Mystery of the Min Min Light" [1994]Maureen Kozicka

EXPLANATIONS

The obvious place to attempt to look for a explanation is the earths crust itself. The lights relate to a given location. Many scientists like Persinger, Deveraux, Derr etc use the term "earth lights" to describe these type of lights.

Whether they are bizarre lifeforms, the produce of exotic physics, or craft from outer space or other dimensions, there has to be something such terrain related lights need in these geographical zones at certain times. That requirement can only be some source of energy that can facilitate their appearance and mobility if not actual existence......the tectonic strain theory suggests that low magnitude seismic disturbance may be sufficient to provide the conditions for light phenomena in certain circumstances.

"Earth Lights Revelation" [1989] Paul Deveraux

Another potential mechanism involving the semiconducting properties of polymetallic ore bodies has been proposed by Demin et al.Their idea involves electrical discharges from cracks which are amplified by unusual occurrences of semiconducting minerals....this theory entails the generation of ultrasonic waves and electron emission, in addition to luminescence, and suggests that light phenomena might be associated with polymetallic ore bodies near the surface.

"Experientia" [1986] Persinger, Derr.

And other suggestions:

1. A colony of luminous insects visiting from Asia
   
2. A bird from Vietnam [that glows]
   
3. A pocket of gas that will not disperse
   
4. Refracting light from over the horizon
   
5. Ball lightning without a storm
   
6. A homestead light
   
7. Reflections off rubbish
   

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS

I have interviewed many people over the years whilst looking for the lights.I have seen and videotaped unusual light phenomena but due to the height that it was appearing at, do not think it was an example of "classic" Min Min lights.

Some of the personal recollections I have been told are:

"We used to have young horses in a specific padddock.A Min Min light used to sit on the fence and scare them. They would injure themselves running into fences to get away from it. But when we put cattle into the same area, they never reacted to the lights. We shot at the light with a .22 calibre rifle. This had no effect. But when we used a larger calibre like a .303, the light would instantly go out."

"The light appeared above us as were shooting at kangaroos. We became scared and shot at it. This had no effect, so we jumped into the car. The light chased us for about 20 minutes, we were screaming and crying."

What is interesting is that some of the toughest/roughest people I have ever met, like shooters/drovers etc, had no qualms about admitting that they have cried/wept etc. when they encountered the lights.
When I was in Boulia in 2000, some shooters arrived from Alice Springs.They had been chased by a "pack" of lights along the Silver Highway road that joins Boulia and Alice Springs.

There is some correlations with Min Min lights and "earth lights". And no doubt some of the reports may be explained using those sort of terms.

The lights pre-date the white man in Australia. Some aboriginals I have spoken to have stated that there parents used threats of the Min Min to curb their behaviour when they were children.

Problems with current Scientific Explanations

1. The lights can/do react to observers movements
   
2. There is no known mechanism to explain the energy source of the lights. Rock crush experiments causing lights to be created are measured in milliseconds.
   
3. The second problem may be explained one day using modified physics explanations.

Conclusions

The lights seem to have a form of 'intelligence".
This is not just a simple attempt at an anthropomorphic interpretation of their behaviour.
Some of the information here was taken from Maureen Kozicka's book "The Mystery of the Min Min Light." She wrote the first and only book on the subject and was a true pioneer in actually going out and looking for the light, and collecting stories on it.

This information on the lights is dedicated to her.