Conflicting advice left prospector stranded on outback tenement

Key points

• A prospector was left stranded on a remote Western Australian tenement for almost a month after receiving conflicting advice on road access. Dale Richardson said he could no longer drive along the White Cliffs-Yarmarna Road, which passes through Aboriginal reserves.
• He left on March 21, leaving his caravan and most equipment behind. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch has granted him a three-month permit to retrieve his property, but not to resume prospecting.
• The industry body AMEC called for clearer land access rules.