Shocked friends reveal dead gold prospector had ‘world’ exploration experience

Devastated and shocked friends have paid tribute to two experienced gold prospectors found dead after getting lost on an exploration in outback Queensland.

Geologist Garry Edser went missing in remote bushland outside Croydon. Picture: Supplied

Two experienced prospectors found dead at a goldfield have been remembered as hardworking, intelligent and “lovely people”.

Garry Edser, 65, and business partner Kristine Starr, 69, were found by a search and rescue team just 2.5km from their car at the Croydon Caravan Park, 500km west of Cairns.

The pair, who knew the area, left the caravan park on Sunday and walked into Esmeralda Station in North West Queensland.

It’s understood Mr Edser and Ms Starr followed the wrong gully while trying to return to their car and became lost.

Croydon Caravan Park, where the couple were staying. Picture: Supplied.

The two joint-owned Toowoomba-based company Finrank, offering mapping, geological and data analysis services as well as mining identification services.

They were also directors of company MolyRex which was described as a private mineral exploration company.

Greg Paynter, was a fellow director of MolyRex, said he was shocked at their deaths.

“They were both lovely people and it is a great shame to humanity that they are no longer with us,” Mr Paynter told The Courier-Mail.

“I was definitely shocked because Garry has had plenty of experience in exploration, not here in Australia but around the world. I was more than shocked.

“Garry was a very intelligent person. He just recently started his PhD in geology. He had a very good mind, not only from a geological knowledge perspective but also in data, warehousing and IP (intellectual property) processes, in that realm.

Police searching for the couple. Picture: Supplied.

“He had multiple skills that he brought to the table. He was a wonderful gentleman and a keen golfer.

“I think Kristine had worked with Garry for quite some time, a lot longer than what I had known them for. They worked on mining projects in the past so that was their relationship, they were good friends.

“Kristine worked hard at what she did.”

Mr Paynter said his business relationship started with Mr Edser and Ms Starr with mining interest in chemical element molybdenum.

“It initially started out as a company with mining interest in a product called molybdenum,” he said.

The terrain searched was unforgiving. Picture: Jono Evans

“And we did some exploring in that area and then developed a patent to extract molybdenum from overburdened mining areas so that the oxide from the molybdenum could be extracted and it could be used for fertiliser and other industrial processes.

“We also then took up an EPM (exploration Permits Mining) for Esmeralda and after due process that was granted to us.

“Garry predominantly has carried out exploration up there to ascertain the resource.”