Barking Owl - Ninox connivens
The usual call of the Barking Owl, as its name suggests, is a remarkably doglike woof-woof. However, early settlers were startled to discover that the owl is also capable of making a very different call. Pioneers were occasionally awoken by the terrified screams of a woman being brutally murdered in the bush — at least that’s what it sounded like. However, instead of mayhem, it was simply the alarm call of the Barking Owl, which may be repeated at intervals of several seconds or several minutes.
(Text Source: BirfLife Australia)