Pryke was one of three brothers - the others being Frank and James - who pioneered the search for gold in Papua New Guinea, beginning in 1896. (See Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1937, p.7, and Hank Nelson, Black, White and Gold: Goldmining in Papua New Guinea, 1878-1930, Canberra, 1976).

Papers relating to the search for and mining of gold in Papua New Guinea, some written from the field. They are part of the Pryke collection - MS 1826 - in the National Library. Of the six boxes in the collection, the following material appears on the microfilm:
Box 1: Folder 1; Business and personal correspondence, 1909-1917 Folder 2; Letters from Pryke to his wife, 1899-1920 Folder 3; Correspondence, 1903-1920 Folder 4; Correspondence, 1905-1920 Folder 5; Correspondence, 1901-1920 Folder 6; Correspondence, 1901-1925 Folder 7; Correspondence, 1907-1915 Folder 8; Correspondence, 1903-1920
Box 2: Folder 15; 'Contracts for Native Labour' 1900-1914
Box 5: Folder 40 - 'Letters, miner's right, receipts, wage lists 1911, 1908-1911'.