Lost Gold Reef Sought

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31329, 28 March 1967, Page 13

Lost Gold Reef Sought

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY, March 27. The biggest and bestequipped expedition to search for Lassetter’s lost gold reef left Sydney today. His fabulously rich prize to the finder would be an estimated 120 million dollars in gold ore. The expedition is to spend six weeks searching an area of 10 square miles near the Rawlinson Ranges, in Western Australia. The leader of the expedi-

tion is a 70-year-old accountant and former Lord Mayor of Sydney, Mr W. Neville Harding. On an expedition in 1951 Mr Harding, who describes himself as “fit as a fiddle,” found a treacle tin, three rolls of film and a map used by Lassetter. Lassetter buried the items before he died of starvation in 1930 during a trip to peg out his claim. The 14-man expedition, travelling by four-wheel drive vehicles, will be serviced by Cessna light aircraft from Alice Springs. Many of the group have had previous experience in gold prospecting. The total cost of the expedition, about 38,000 dollars,

■ has been financed by a syndi- • cate of businessmen. • He added that Lassetter in his diary, had described his find as “a fabulous gold reef ! —a bonanza.” Lassetter had made a seci ond trip into the remote wild--1 emess of the outback to peg out his claim. i He had measured out the i lease, photographed the pegs ; and mapped the surrounding area, Mr Harding said. As he turned back for Alice Springs his camels bolted, running off with his food, but he decided to walk. Exhausted and sick from starvation, he realised he was dying and wrote a note to his wife. This was found on his body.