Lasseter, Lewis (1880-1931), was an Australian prospector (person searching for gold). In 1930, he claimed that, as a youth, he had found a fabulous reef of gold in the Petermann Ranges, in the Northern Territory . A reef is a vein of gold in quartz, a common mineral in Earth’s crust. Lasseter also claimed that a surveyor later charted the reef, but that his position was inaccurate by 100 miles (160 kilometers).
Lewis Hubert Lasseter was born near Bamganie, an area near Meredith, Victoria, on Sept. 27, 1880. He later adopted the name Lewis Harold Bell Lasseter.
In 1930, some Sydney businessmen agreed to finance an expedition to find the reef Lasseter said he had found, with Lasseter acting as guide. The expedition left Alice Springs in July 1930. Within a few months, the other members of the group turned back, but Lasseter continued to the Petermann Ranges. He is believed to have lived for a while in a cave by the Hull River. In early 1931, Bob Buck, a bushman (expert in the remote Australian interior), was sent to search for Lasseter. He said he discovered Lasseter’s body and buried it in March 1931. Lasseter had died of starvation. The date of Lasseter’s death is not known. A death certificate was issued listing the date of death as Jan. 30, 1931.
Many expeditions have searched in vain for Lasseter’s Reef.
See also Gold rush ; Northern Territory .
