Within Strange Australia
Did Fish and Spiders Really Fall?
Australia's odd falls show how real weather, animal behaviour and startled witnesses can create stories that sound impossible at first.
On this page
- Lajamanu fish rain reports
- Spider ballooning around Goulburn
- Dust, red skies and weather drama
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
Australia has produced some of the world’s most memorable stories of things apparently falling from the sky. Fish have reportedly landed alive in remote desert communities, landscapes have seemed to vanish beneath drifting spider silk, and vast clouds of red dust have turned daytime into an eerie orange twilight. At first glance these events sound like classic Fortean tales. In practice, they occupy an intriguing middle ground where unusual but genuine natural phenomena meet surprise, folklore and sensational headlines.
Rather than proving the supernatural, Australia’s best-known “strange falls” demonstrate how rare weather, animal behaviour and dramatic environmental conditions can create events that feel impossible to witnesses. They remain an important part of the country’s strange-history tradition precisely because the reality is often almost as remarkable as the myth.
Did fish really fall on Lajamanu?
The most famous Australian fish-rain reports come from the remote Northern Territory community of Lajamanu. Residents have reported live fish appearing after storms on several occasions, notably in 1974, 2004, 2010 and again in 2023. Witnesses described small live fish scattered across streets and gardens after heavy rain, with some reportedly still wriggling. The repeated nature of the reports has helped make Lajamanu one of the world’s best-known locations associated with animal rain.[Wikipedia]WikipediaLajamanu, Northern TerritoryLajamanu, Northern Territory
The fish involved are generally identified as spangled perch, a hardy freshwater species well adapted to Australia’s inland waterways. The species can survive in isolated pools and is famous for its remarkable ability to colonise temporary water bodies after flooding.[Wikipedia]WikipediaLajamanu, Northern TerritoryLajamanu, Northern Territory
For many people the obvious explanation is that waterspouts or powerful storm updrafts lifted fish from distant waterholes before dropping them over the community. Similar mechanisms have long been proposed for fish-rain reports around the world, although directly observing such transport is extremely difficult. Meteorologists have noted that severe storms are capable of carrying surprisingly large objects, making the idea physically plausible even if individual cases remain hard to prove.[Wikipedia]WikipediaRain of animalsRain of animals
There is, however, another possibility. Some ichthyologists point out that spangled perch are exceptional dispersers and often appear across flooded landscapes after heavy rain. Fish stranded on newly inundated ground may later be remembered as having fallen from the sky, especially during chaotic storm conditions. This explanation does not necessarily account for every witness description, but it reminds us that extraordinary memories can develop during unusual weather.[Wikipedia]WikipediaLajamanu, Northern TerritoryLajamanu, Northern Territory
What keeps the Lajamanu stories alive is not simply that fish appeared, but that the reports have been repeated across decades by different generations of residents. Even where science offers likely mechanisms, the events remain among Australia’s most celebrated weather mysteries.
Why did Goulburn seem to experience spider rain?
In May 2015, people around Goulburn in New South Wales reported what looked like millions of spiders drifting down from the sky. Fields, fences, gardens and even homes became coated in fine white silk, creating scenes that resembled snowfall or ghostly cobweb blankets. Images spread rapidly through international media under headlines about “spider rain”.[National Geographic]nationalgeographic.com150518 spiders australia silk webs animals environmentNational GeographicMillions of Spiders Rain Down on Australia—Why?18 May 2015 — In what's called a mass ballooning, the tiny arachnids us…
Despite the dramatic appearance, arachnologists regarded the event as an unusually large example of a well-understood behaviour called ballooning. Tiny spiders climb onto vegetation, release long strands of silk and allow rising air currents to carry them away in search of new territory. Under favourable weather conditions, enormous numbers may launch within a short period, producing what appears to be a shower of spiders descending from above.[smithsonianmag.com]smithsonianmag.comSmithsonian Magazine No, It's Not Really Raining Spiders in AustraliaSmithsonian MagazineNo, It's Not Really Raining Spiders in AustraliaMay 19, 2015 — 19 May 2015 — Instead of a light spider drizzle, resid…
Witnesses often describe two distinct effects:
- Fine sheets of silk hanging over paddocks like frost.
- Small spiders drifting slowly through the air.
- Webs collecting on trees, fences and power lines.
- The illusion that spiders are falling vertically rather than travelling on the wind.
The phenomenon has been observed elsewhere in Australia, including around Wagga Wagga after flooding, where escaping inundated ground may encourage mass dispersal. Ballooning allows spiders to recolonise disturbed landscapes quickly, making these spectacular events part of their normal survival strategy rather than an atmospheric anomaly.[National Geographic]nationalgeographic.com150518 spiders australia silk webs animals environmentNational GeographicMillions of Spiders Rain Down on Australia—Why?18 May 2015 — In what's called a mass ballooning, the tiny arachnids us…
From a Fortean perspective, spider rain is fascinating because it genuinely looks impossible. The visual impression is so striking that it continues to be retold as one of Australia’s strangest weather stories, even though its biological explanation is well established.
When the sky turns red
Not every strange fall involves living creatures. Australia has repeatedly experienced spectacular dust events in which enormous quantities of fine red soil are lifted into the atmosphere and transported hundreds or even thousands of kilometres.
The September 2009 dust storm remains the most famous modern example. Dust from drought-stricken inland regions swept across eastern Australia, turning Sydney and other cities an intense orange-red. Visibility collapsed, air quality reached hazardous levels and many residents described the scene as resembling Mars or an apocalyptic film. NASA satellites recorded the enormous plume extending far out over the Pacific Ocean, while the Bureau of Meteorology described it as one of New South Wales’ most significant dust storms in decades.[Wikipedia]Wikipedia2009 Australian dust storm2009 Australian dust storm
Earlier generations also reported mysterious “red rain”, where rainfall deposited reddish mud on buildings, vehicles and vegetation. Before atmospheric science was well understood, such events sometimes inspired rumours about volcanic eruptions, supernatural omens or even blood rain. Modern analysis usually identifies wind-blown desert dust as the source.
These episodes demonstrate how unusual atmospheric conditions can generate memorable stories without requiring extraordinary causes.
Why these stories became Australian Forteana
Fish rain, spider rain and dramatic dust falls occupy a distinctive place in Australia’s strange-history tradition because they combine three ingredients that Fortean stories often share.
First, they begin with sincere eyewitness testimony. People genuinely saw fish on roads, spiders drifting overhead or skies transformed into unfamiliar colours.
Second, the events are rare enough that most people never experience them personally. That rarity encourages dramatic retellings, newspaper headlines and local folklore.
Finally, each case sits comfortably between explanation and wonder. Scientists can account for ballooning spiders and explain how storms or floods might distribute fish or dust, yet the visual experience remains astonishing enough to feel uncanny.
Unlike fabricated hoaxes or unsupported supernatural claims, these stories remind us that nature itself can produce scenes that seem to violate common sense. Their lasting appeal lies not in defeating science but in showing how extraordinary the natural world can appear when weather, wildlife and human expectation briefly collide.
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Did Fish and Spiders Really Fall?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The Mammoth Book of Unexplained Phenomena
Includes famous anomalous weather and falling-object reports.
The weather detective
First published 2018. Subjects: Miscellanea, Weather, Popular works, Nature, Weather forecasting.
Unexplained phenomena
First published 2000. Subjects: Curiosities and wonders, Reference works, Unexplained phenomena, Metaphysical Phenomena - General, Refere...
The Australian Geographic Book of the Bush
Provides environmental background for fish rain and spider ballooning.
eBay marketplace picks
Marketplace Samples
Live-tested eBay searches with available results related to this page.
Endnotes
1.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Lajamanu, Northern Territory
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lajamanu%2C_Northern_Territory
2.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Rain of animals
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_of_animals
3.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: 2009 Australian dust storm
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Australian_dust_storm
4.
Source: nationalgeographic.com
Title: 150518 spiders australia silk webs animals environment
Link:https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/150518-spiders-australia-silk-webs-animals-environment
Source snippet
National GeographicMillions of Spiders Rain Down on Australia—Why?18 May 2015 — In what's called a mass ballooning, the tiny arachnids us...
Published: May 2015
5.
Source: smithsonianmag.com
Title: Smithsonian Magazine No, It’s Not Really Raining Spiders in Australia
Link:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/no-its-not-really-raining-spiders-australia-180955327/
Source snippet
Smithsonian MagazineNo, It's Not Really Raining Spiders in AustraliaMay 19, 2015 — 19 May 2015 — Instead of a light spider drizzle, resid...
Published: May 19, 2015
Additional References
6.
Source: facebook.com
Title: fish rain mystery ️ fish rained over lajamanu australia multiple times including
Link:https://www.facebook.com/ancientoriginsweb/posts/fish-rain-mystery-%EF%B8%8F-fish-rained-over-lajamanu-australia-multiple-times-including/1300120418823152/
Source snippet
🐟Fish Rain Mystery 🌧️ Fish rained over Lajamanu...The NT and only Lajamanu has recieved a RAIN of FISH & FOUR times since 1974 In 2023...
7.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/sociatycom/posts/in-1974-residents-in-parts-of-australia-reported-spider-rain-where-thousands-of-/1327014122791574/
Source snippet
In 1974, residents in parts of Australia reported “spider rain...In 1974, residents in parts of Australia reported “spider rain,” where...
8.
Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DOHv7w8iIHN/?hl=en
Source snippet
by a natural survival behavior called “ballooning,” where spiders climb...Read more...
9.
Source: theguardian.com
Title: Australia: where spiders rain down from the sky
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/may/18/australia-where-the-rain-is-sometimes-made-of-spiders-video-report
Source snippet
video reportThe Australian town of Goulburn, NSW, was recently covered by spiders raining from the sky, but how did it happen and why?...
10.
Source: theaustralian.com.au
Link:https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/fish-rain-down-on-top-end-town-of-lajamanu/news-story/74943da66b65c986792128df3af4b189
Source snippet
The AustralianFish rain down on Top End town of Lajamanu28 Feb 2010 — But in 2004, locals reported fish falling from the sky, and in 1974...
11.
Source: abc7news.com
Title: baby spiders rain down upon rural australia
Link:https://abc7news.com/post/baby-spiders-rain-down-upon-rural-australia/730797/
Source snippet
Ballooning occurs after a mother spider lays her eggs and they hatch.Read more...
12.
Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16xhpv13DsM
Source snippet
Blood Rain, Red Skies, and Falling Spiders… What Is Happening?...
13.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Blood Rain, Red Skies, and Falling Spiders… What Is Happening?
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTHT6rSGT-M
Source snippet
“Spider Rain” Coats Australian Town In Webs...
14.
Source: abcnews.com
Link:https://abcnews.com/International/baby-spiders-reportedly-rain-australian-town/story?id=31150629
Source snippet
Baby Spiders Reportedly Rain Down on Australian Town19 May 2015 — Millions of spiders seemingly dropped from above earlier this month in...
Published: May 2015
15.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Australian town witnesses fish ‘rained from sky’
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHXOlXUVpQU
Source snippet
Raining spiders, frogs, fish and... meat. Yes, meat...
Topic Tree