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Harold LasseterPrint Page Print this page

05-September-2014
05-September-2014

Photographs supplied by Graeme Saunders

The Lasseter Highway was constructed and named in memory of Harold Lewis Bell Lasseter who died in the Petermann Ranges in January 1931 searching for a reef of gold.  He claimed to have discovered the gold lode in 1900, but numerous attempts to locate it have failed,

His remains were recovered in 1957 and interred in the old Alice Springs Cemetery.

Note : Approximately 160 kilometres west of this cairn on the Lasseter Highway, towards Kaltukatjara is "Lasseter`s Cave" in the Mannanana Range. Lasseter took shelter here for about 25 days during January 1931.  His camels had escaped and im, and he was stranded without food. While sheltering in the cave, Lasseter recorded his account of his journey, including the days spent in the cave.

He was later found by a local Pitjantjatjara family, who provided him food and water before Lasseter decided to leave the cave and attempt to walk the 140 kilometres to Kata Tjuta.  He was weak from dehydration, malnutrition and exhaustion, and he died three days later, after walking about 55 kilometres.

Location

Address:Lasseter Highway & Yulara Drive, Yulara, 0872
State:NT
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -25.245346
Long: 130.981109
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Road
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Exploration

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Friday 16th September, 1983
Front Inscription

          THE LASSETER HIGHWAY
Officially Opened On 16 September 1983
                           By
The Chief Minister Of The Northern Territory 
HON PAUL EVERINGHAM  M.L.A.
To the memory of Harold Lewis Bell "Possum" LASSETER
who perished in the Petermann Ranges near the Northern
Territory / West Australia border on 30 January 1931 
during a vain search for a fabulous reef of gold.
His remains were recovered in 1957 and interred in the 
old Alice Springs Cemetery.  Lasseter claimed he first 
discovered the reef during a solo expedition from Alice 
Springs to the border in 1900.  Numerous attempts to 
relocate the rich lode, including the one that cost 
Lasseter his life, have failed.  But the legend of 
Lasseter`s Lost Reef persists........... a fortune in gold, 
just waiting to be found !
                A Project Of The Roads Division  
     N.T. Department Of Transport And Works

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au