Amateur astronomer David Finlay said sightings of a massive fireball in the area were recorded on the worldwide meteorites news website.

Mr Finlay said the fireball headed south to north and most likely would have passed over Ballarat.

Many who saw a large white flash heard a loud explosion, "but the sound would have been a sonic boom", Mr Finlay said. "We (astrologers) know the fireball was white and, while it is hard to ascertain the size, it would have been as large as a basketball or bigger."

Mr Finlay said the meteorite would not create a crater but would fall to the ground in several pieces. He said it could be strewn over many kilometres and in a paddock somewhere.

"Pieces will look like black rocks with a burnt fusion crust on the outside, plus the majority of them will be attracted to strong magnets due to the iron content."

He said people who heard a loud bang on Sunday evening would have been close to its landing.

Mr Finlay is hoping someone has captured the fireball on CCT footage.

"Someone may have taken it on their IPhone or video."

Other sightings of fireballs were at Jerioco in Queensland, and West Wylong NSW.

"There were three meteorites sighted at the same time, which is unprecedented," he

said.

Recovered pieces allow scientists to understand the age and chemical composition of the solar system, what the Earth's core is made of and its age, where the Earth's water came from and possibly how life might have come to

Earth.

People can download the Fireballs In The Sky app from

fireballsinthesky.com.au on their smart device and log the observation. For further information, phone David Finlay on 0490 193 772.