Lasseter's Bones (ATOM Study Guide)

Lasseter's Bones is a documentary about a quest to solve a great Australian historical mystery.

Harold Lasseter claimed that in 1897 he became lost in central Australia, and in his wanderings discovered a fabulous seven-mile (eleven-kilometre) reef of gold – the legendary Lasseter's Reef.

Lasseter then spent years convincing people of his find and searching for investors to fund further expeditions. He was eventually successful in persuading a group of men to follow him into the desert on a search to relocate the reef in 1930. However, after an acrimonious split from the expedition, Lasseter died alone in the desert.

His recovered diary tantalisingly revealed he'd finally found his reef again, but that he'd 'give it all for a loaf of bread'. The gold has remained lost ever since.

Like many others over the years, director Luke Walker became fascinated by Lasseter's story – a billion dollars in gold, lost in the middle of the desert. Lasseter's Reef is Australia's El Dorado – a fabled treasure buried in a vast and hostile environment, a magnet for fortune hunters, cranks, and dreamers.

Armed with a camera and the unshakeable belief that he will find gold in Lasseter's story, Walker sets out to follow in the footsteps of Lasseter, hoping that discovering the man will lead to discovering the reef. On his quest, he teams up with Lasseter's 85-year-old son, Bob Lasseter, a man who has spent fifty years quietly trying to vindicate the father he never knew.

Lasseter's Bones documents Walker's journey to unravel the tangle of myths, lies and legend that lie buried with Lasseter deep in the heart of Australia.

Curriculum applicability

Lasseter's Bones is a resource that can be used with senior secondary students (Years 9–12) in History, English and Media Studies.

Lasseter's Bones is also available to purchase on DVD here. Lasseter's Bones is also available to stream here.