PROJECT
www.jaconline.com.au
Buckley’s chance
William Buckley was born in England in 1780. He was sentenced to be transported to the NSW
colony when still a young soldier, after being accused of stealing cloth. In 1803, he and others
escaped from the penal settlement he was sent to (near Sorrento in what is now Victoria).
While others who escaped with him were either recaptured or never heard of again, Buckley
survived — against the odds.
He was found by some Wathaurong people (whose traditional lands include the regions
around Geelong). They thought this huge white man (Buckley was at least 193 cm tall) was the
reincarnation of a former tribal chief. They adopted him and treated him with respect for the
next 32 years. Buckley learnt their ways, their language and their hunting and tracking skills.
On 6 July 1835, clad in kangaroo skins and carrying Aboriginal weapons, he walked into the
camp that explorer John Batman had set up at Indented Head. (John Batman is credited as
being one of those who helped to establish the settlement that became Melbourne.) That same
year Buckley was pardoned. After spending a year as a guide and interpreter on the mainland,
he moved to Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) where he worked in a variety of jobs. He died at
the age of 75 years after being run over by a horse and cart.
1. Look up the meaning of the expression 'Buckley's chance' in a dictionary. Suggest how this
expression is linked to the story of William Buckley.
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2.
Write down five goals that you think you have ‘Buckley’s chance’ of achieving. Now, assume that you also had
Buckley's luck. What good fortune might come your way (as it did for Buckley) and enable you to achieve these
goals? What obstacles are currently preventing this 'good fortune' from happening?
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3.
In the light of your knowledge of William Buckley, and your reflections, complete ONE of the following tasks:
• It is 1852 and William Buckley has just published his account of his life with the Wathaurong people. You are a
newspaper reporter who has secured exclusive rights to interview him for your paper. Your editor has told you
that it is the story of the year. Having researched Buckley's experience and read his account (all good reporters
need to be prepared!) your task is to now write the final transcript of your interview.
• If you thought it was pure luck that William Buckley survived in the Australian outback for 32 years — think again!
The Australian Aborigines survived quite happily in this environment for over 40 000 years before Europeans ever
arrived. Undertake some research to find out more about how they adapted to their environment (and still do in
some parts of Australia). Look specifically at the techniques they used to find food/water, how they made fire, how
they found their way around and how they constructed shelters.
References:
SOSE Alive 3 and SOSE Alive History 2, pp. 1–11, 40–1 ▪ www.jaconline.com.au/sosealive/sosealive3 (or
www.jaconline.com.au/sosealive/sahistory2) and click on the William Buckley links ▪ online worksheet for SOSE
Alive 3, chapter 1, 'The Kulin people'
© John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2004
2004-07-10-chance.pdf
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