LASSETER’S LOST REEF

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21813, 19 June 1936, Page 11

LASSETER’S LOST REEF

SEARCHERS ATTACKED BY ABORIGINES SYDNEY, June 18. A message from Alice Springs says that the Cutlack air expedition, while searching for Lasseter’s Reef was attacked by aborigines at Mount Burley, nine miles from Lasseter’s grave. The aeroplane party had built a rude shelter and were awaiting the arrival of the ground party when natives appeared. Three spears were thrown and the expedition members opened fire with their revolvers. Two more attacks were made, but finally the natives were repulsed. During one sortie a member of the expedition narrowly escaped being clubbed. [At least two other attempts are being made to discover Lasseter’s lost reef in Central Australia. In April last it was reported from Perth that _Mr H. A. Ellis, a member of the Geological Department, had reached Alice Springs. Mr Ellis planned to go with a party of 12 to an area in the Petermann Range, near the West Australian border, to inspect what is claimed by the Border Gold Reefs Company, of Sydney, to be Lasseter’s lost reef. The Border Qold Reefs. Ltd., with a capital of £SOOO, was formed in Sydney last year to open up and develop'this area, and since then 30 subsidiary companies have become interested in the district, which is 600 miles from Alice Springs. An expedition, financed and led by Mr H. V. Foy, a principal of Mark Foy’s, Ltd., also set out in April in search of Lasseter’s Reef. The base camp would be established several hundred miles out from Alice Springs, where Mr Foy was to be joined by Mr J. Johns. Mrs Foy and her 14-year-old son set out in advance in a sedan car, and expected to be joined at Molong by the expedition, which included a wireless mechanic, two cameramen, and a prospector.]