Birdsville Track - early map by Police Trooper Samuel Gason

Samuel Gason joined the mounted police on February 2, 1865 and from then until he retired in April 1876, served on Cooper's Creek, at Barrow Creek Telegraph Station and elsewhere in the Far North. Barrow Creek was probably the most memorable of his stations as he was the resident newly-arrived police trooper at that Telegraph Station when it was attacked by Aboriginals in 1873. Two men were killed in the affray, and it was largely due to Gason's quick response to the attack that the lives of the remaining men were saved. He was authorised to lead a search party to seek those responsible for the attack, but no arrests were made. Gason's bravery was referred to in later years by [Police] Commissioner Hamilton.

Gason was stationed for nine years at Lake Hope, in addition providing police protection to the [Lutheran] missionaries at Kopperamana. In 1871 he led a small party that was sent out to look for some drovers who had been attacked 180 miles to the north of the station. Despite covering over 600 miles of largely unexplored country they were unable to find any trace of the missing men or their cattle.

Following his retirement from the police force, Samuel Gason went into the hotel business at Beltana, later moving to Gibson's Camp near Port Augusta.  It was here that he died suddenly in Ap1il 1897, aged 52.