Harry Lassetters grandson passes away.

[bris dave]

On Wed evening, Brisbane time a good mate of mine, Alan Mclure passed away from the effects of cancer.

He was a prospecting geologist all his working life and added significantly to his chosen field both in Australia and overseas.

He was born into the game, being the grandson of Harry Lassetter of the "Lost Reef" fame.

He even had a couple of goes trying to find it as well.

I had known him for some time through my running club, the Hash House Harriers and over a couple of beers he once quietly informed me it was, in fact him, working for another company at the time, who had initially prospected and pegged in the 1980's the leases I had purchased and was actively mining. Small world indeed!

On the Sunday prior to his passing my wife and I were honoured to be among the guests at his wedding to Ira. They wanted to do this before he died, and fully expected at least 12 months together before the inevitable happened. Sadly he had a massive stroke Wed morning which was devestating to his new bride.

 

[Jonathan Porter]

Hello Dave, sorry to hear about your mate passing away, life is too short and the goldfields we all love are too large. My condolences to his poor wife, life can be bloody cruel!!:sad:

Jonathan Porter

 

[bris dave]

Yeah. Life is a bugger, to be sure.

Attended the funeral today, and was given the honour of saying a few words along with other mates and family.

You would have loved it mate! Heaps of old time geo's and privateer prospectors from the old school there with a truckload of things to say over a beer later.

Funny, how you only realise how good a bloke someone is when they go toes up.

Heres a tip for you Jonno. The Solomons.

Cheers mate.

 

[Jonathan Porter]

I know a bloke who hung around the Solomon's with his 60 foot boat, had the bloody thing stolen, then they found it but the authorities wouldn't let him access the boat because it was evidence so the bilges filled and the bloody thing sank. On another note my grandfather was a Seventh Day Adventist missionary in the Solomon's back in the late 60's early 70"s before old age and Parkinson's made his life a misery.

Good on you for standing by your mate Dave, I'm sure his poor wife would have appreciated it. Another part of Australia's history coming to a close.

JP

 

[bris dave]

Cheers Jonno.Thanks mate. Nice sentiments.

Apparently there are some interesting things afoot in the Solomons. Esp. hard rock.

Alan did mention a while back some of the alluvials were really good with a fair bit of course stuff thrown in. Interesting eh.

The trouble with parts of that place is to many locals with bush knives. Not as bad as PNG, but still can be an issue.

I had the chance to go to PNG a few years ago, but knocked it back after careful consideration of about a nanosecond.

You interested in a Palmer trip next year? A mate and I have certain plans in a certain place involving serious walking.

 

[Jonathan Porter]

You interested in a Palmer trip next year? A mate and I have certain plans in a certain place involving serious walking.

Might be interested in that as I am as of next year "doing it on my own" so to speak. This is our last year away as a family unit, kids are ready to settle down before puberty and my wife's sanity needs to kick in after partial home schooling for the past 5 years. Been a while since I was up in God's own country, what about our mate S Struber? Oh by the way, it aint "Mundgin Creek" by any chance, Ray Marchint used to rave on about it all the time and always said he would take me there some day. Also heard the boys stumbled on Larrimore last year, did well too by all accounts.

JP

 

[bris dave]

No mate, it isnt MunGin Ck. I havent actually played around in that area much at all.

As I understand it what they called Larrimore was one hill over from the very top of my leases. I always knew there was an old town there but never really had a red hot go at finding it. It stood to reason as the alluvials up there were quite rich in places. But I am not convinced this was, in fact, Larrimore. As I understood it it is located way up Cherry Tree Ck somewhere. This place is near where it comes into the North Palmer.

Struber is still causing grief and will as long as he draws breath. I was having a beer with a bloke at the funeral who has some Exploratory Leases on Palmerville and he was complaining he was being obstructive. I filled him in on some "background" information.

Talk later about the trip. Shoot me an email if you like.

Cheers.

 

[Jonathan Porter]

OK Dave will do, will need to get the Palmer fitness up and running though!! I assume your e-mail is available via this forum. Will be on the road for the next 3 or 4 weeks, once we get back to Clermont will get in touch. Amazing how we can chat like this when you consider all the disagreements we have had over the years, but then again neither of us ever crossed the line, disagreed sure, but never got really personal or at least nothing a beer wouldn't soon fix anyway.

JP

 

[bris dave]

Yeah mate, some fitness will be in order. It will be a bit of a hike thats for certain.

Our disagreements were only on a technological level anyway. If we cant get over that then we have a serious problem.
Anyway if I thought you were an arsehole I wouldnt want to spend a week in the bush with you would I. hehe

No, it will be a great pleasure to show you what an old, fossilised SD2000 mod can do with a 14"elliptical coil.

Years ago I played around with Geoff from the Miners Den in Melb. on a patch of really little stuff we found. I was more than happy with the 2000 compared to the 3500 he was driving. The difference in depth capability is the big thing in my mind for the Palmer as there isnt much really hot ground to contend with. That I would like to test. But I do like the idea of discrimination and I have a spot in mind where that will come in handy after the main trip I want to do.

For me, the main use of my detector was to clean up bottoms I had dug with the excavator and a brand new machine was of no benifit at all as you understand.

Give me a hoy when you get back and we can natter further.

Cheers

 

[Jonathan Porter]

Yes having a BIG yellow digger sure got you some depth, in some ways the 2000 was plenty good enough for the job at hand. Will be in touch, its been a while since I visited the land of my prospecting birth.

JP

 

[Bron]

I heard about Alan's death via a friend. We all lived with him in Sydney in the late 70's & 80's. He was a really lovely man, a lively chatterer who loved his mates, me included. Please give my condolences to his Family.

Bron

 

[bris dave]

Thanks Bron. Ill pass on your regards when I next see his family.

He would have been a handfull to keep up with in those days I suspect. He was going as hard as he could just a couple of days before he died.Nothing much had changed I suspect.