The news that Lasseter's Lost Reef , supposedly a fabulous gold deposit , was not in the Northern Territory but Queensland has sparked much interest and caused Little Darwin to dig out its file on the tantalising subject.
Over many years the writer of this post discussed Lasseter's Lost Reef with people in Alice Springs, Darwin, Sydney , Cairns, read many books and newsaper reports touching on the subject , perused police files and photos.
The above cuttings were in the Darwin garage of the late Vern O'Brien , a walking encyclopedia on anything to do witth the Northern Territory,including Harold Bell Lasseter and his lost gold reef.
With award winning author Xavier Herbert , above , I went to the Alice Springs Memorial Cemetery where Lasseter was eventually buried in June l958 under the carved figure of a prospector.
Born in Victoria in l880, Lewis Hubert Lasseter, went to America in 1903 where he maried . He returned to Australia about l908 under the name Lewis Harold Bell Lasseter , married a nurse , made extravagant claims about his skills and past occupations, wrote newspaper articles.
His claim to know the location of a vast rich goldbearing reef attracted much attention . He seemingly died from starvation in l931 in the Petermann Ranges , a remote part of the Northern Territory .
He was originally buried by Aborigines in a shallow grave .
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Bushman Bob Buck , shown mounted on a camel , after removing the upper denture , gave him another burial in a grave which consisted of a white post and a fence. It appears the skeleton may have been attacked by dingoes .
Buck also collected Lasseter's kit bag, camera , revolver and a compass case which he handed into police.
A television unit got into trouble for digging up the grave in the l950s.
Interest was so great in the fabulous lost gold reef that Germany was prepared back in the l930s to put up money for a film about Lasseter , Aborigines and the dead heart of Australia .
America also became fascinated by the lost reef . The act of returning Lasseter’s remains was to form part of a forthcoming American CBS television show , High Adventure.
American commentator turned explorer, Lowell Thomas (1892–1981), was the host. As it turned out, the documentary was banned in Australia because it showed Aboriginal sacred places.
Included in this blog's file are photos of Lasseter's cave and the view from inside.
(Lasseter, Gold , Latest.)