Place Names Register Extract
Lasseter Grave
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Print Extract | Search Again| Name | Lasseter Grave |
|---|---|
| Type Designation | Cemetery |
| Place Id | 14362 |
| Place Type | Park or Cemetery |
| Status | Recorded |
| Date Registered | |
| Location (Datum GDA94) | |
| Latitude: -25° 15' S (Decimal degrees -25.262083) | |
| Longitude: 129° 48' E (Decimal degrees 129.808278) | |
| View Map | View in NT Atlas | View in Google Earth | |
| Locality / Suburb | |
| Petermann | |
| Local Government Area | |
| MacDonnell Shire Council | |
| History/Origin | Lasseter died around 30 January 1931 and was buried by friendly Aboriginals of the Petermann Ranges. (Arthur Groom - "I saw a Strange land") He was later reburied by Bob Buck. Lewis Harold Bell 'Harry' Lasseter (1880-1931) is a significant figure in Australian history, renowned for his claim to have discovered a fabulously rich gold reef in Central Australia. During the hardship of the Great Depression, Lasseter?s story captured the public imagination as a symbol of hope and perseverance in the harsh Australian outback. In 1930, Lasseter led an ambitious expedition under the Central Australian Gold Exploration Company (C.A.G.E.) to rediscover this elusive reef. Unusually for the period, the expedition utilised motorised vehicles and an aircraft, and included experienced bushmen such as Fred Blakeley (leader), Fred Colson, Phil Taylor, George Sutherland, J. M. Blakiston-Houston, and pilot Errol Coote. Departing Alice Springs on 24 July 1930, the party ventured into the remote and challenging terrain around the Petermann Ranges. Following disagreements over navigation, the expedition fractured. Undeterred, Lasseter continued on with dingo shooter Paul Johns before eventually setting out alone into the Petermann Ranges with only two camels. His journey tragically ended at Winters Glen on 30 January 1931, when he died from dehydration and exhaustion. Weeks later, a search party led by camel team leader Bob Buck located Lasseter's remains. In March 1931, Buck buried him in a shallow Aboriginal-style grave near a watercourse identified as Irving Creek, within the rugged Petermann Ranges. The grave was modest - an oval depression marked by stones, typical of Aboriginal burial customs in the area. Early published accounts, notably Arthur Groom's 1937 book I Saw a Strange Land, state that Lasseter was buried by 'friendly Aboriginals' of the Petermann Ranges. Most authoritative sources, including Buck's own testimony, attribute the formal burial to Bob Buck himself. It is plausible, however, that Aboriginal people assisted with the burial or marked the site, consistent with their known presence and guidance during search efforts. For many years, the exact location of Lasseter's bush grave was subject to confusion and dispute. Official documents, including Lasseter's death certificate, incorrectly cited Shaw Creek as the burial site, a nearby but distinct watercourse. This misidentification became widespread in secondary sources, exacerbated by the remoteness and limited mapping detail of the region. The true location was clarified decades later through the work of several key individuals. Government surveyor Walter Gill, who accompanied Buck on the initial search, kept detailed diaries and maps that positioned the grave at Irving Creek. Buck's own testimony corroborated this location. In the 1950s, filmmaker Lee Robinson, alongside Aboriginal guides familiar with the terrain, led an expedition that rediscovered the grave near Irving Creek, confirming the site described by Gill and Buck. The remains were exhumed in December 1957 and reinterred with ceremony at the Alice Springs Memorial Cemetery in June 1958. Despite this, some ambiguity persists regarding the precise location of the original grave. Today, Lasseter's Grave is recognised as a place of historical significance. While the general area around Irving Creek is accepted as the site, the exact spot remains somewhat uncertain. This ambiguity reflects the challenging conditions of early 20th century exploration in the Australian outback. |
Register & Gazettal information
| Date | Gazettal | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| (None Found) |