Lasseter's Cave

Lasseter's Cave is a small rock shelter and overhang in the Petermann Ranges in the MacDonnell Region of the Northern Territory, about 360 kilometres southwest of Alice Springs near Kaltukatjara (Docker River). It is notable as the place where prospector Lewis Hubert (Harold Bell) Lasseter sheltered during his ill-fated 1930-1931 expedition searching for a reputed gold reef. The cave is a remote historic site on Aboriginal land, accessed only by 4WD with a permit.

Visitors can expect a remote desert rock shelter and shallow cave overhang set among the rugged Petermann Ranges. The site is a simple natural shelter with rocky walls where Lasseter camped, surrounded by arid spinifex, red sand and ranges. There are no developments or interpretive structures; the experience is viewing the historic shelter, photography and appreciating the isolated desert landscape. Access is via unsealed 4WD tracks on Aboriginal land.

The cave is historically significant as the shelter used by Lewis Hubert Lasseter (also known as Harold Bell Lasseter) in early 1931 during his second expedition to relocate a gold reef he claimed to have discovered in 1897. Stranded after his camels bolted, Lasseter sheltered in the cave for about 25 days before attempting to walk out. He died in the desert in January 1931 and his body was later found. The story created the enduring Lasseter's Reef legend, one of Australia's most famous lost-gold myths.

The cave lies on Pitjantjatjara Aboriginal land in the Petermann Ranges, part of the Central Desert cultural landscape. The area holds cultural significance for Traditional Owners and is managed under Aboriginal land access protocols. Visitors are required to obtain permission and respect cultural sites.