Travel Adventures Close to Home By Mary Bremner
Huddling around your heater and dreaming of campfires in the Kimberley? Still smarting over those cancelled travel plans? When COVID-19 restrictions on local travel are eased, there’s no better time to get out and explore our own region. You won’t have to elbow out any international tourists and our local operators will welcome you. Many of these activities come at no cost. With this in mind, my interest was piqued when the Anglesea Historical Society advertised their July excursion, in the footsteps of William Buckley. I had long been fascinated by the story of the escaped convict who lived with the local Wathaurong people for 32 years. In the window between periods of Stage 3 restrictions, I jumped at the opportunity. Our group of history buffs used their own vehicles, in order to comply with guidelines for social distancing. Tour organiser, Jan Morris, furnished us with a map and information about each of the scheduled stops. The Buckley Falls in Highton provided a scenic backdrop for our introduction to the life and times of this fascinating character. Historical Society member, Karl Jacklin, had researched his subject thoroughly and we learned about Buckley’s life prior to being transported to the new convict settlement of Port Phillip for being in possession of some rolls of stolen cloth. We heard about Buckley’s escape from custody at Sullivan Bay (now Sorrento) in 1803. Joined by two other convicts,
he had the intention of making for Sydney. The futility of this soon dawned on Buckley’s companions, but made of sterner stuff he set off on foot along the coast, eventually reaching present day Lorne. He turned back and at this point met up with the Wathaurong people. Buckley was greeted warmly by the tribespeople, who took him for the returned spirit of a departed kinsman. In the following decades, Buckley learned the native language, became skilled in the use of the tools and weapons and found female companionship. He was revered by the tribe and had a role in settling intertribal disputes. Our tour was organised for convenience, rather than a chronology of events, and motoring on to Indented Head at the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, we found ourselves at the location of Buckley’s return to white society in 1835. This occurred out of a desire to protect his adopted people, with a dispute brewing between some members of the Wathaurong and an exploration party led by John Batman. Batman had been dispatched from Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania) to scout a suitable location in the Port Phillip area for a settlement. We pictured the vision that William Buckley must have been, all 6-foot 6-
Historical Society member Ed Tame talks with Mary Bremner at Buckley Falls on the Barwon River. William Buckley worked as a guide for new residents to Geelong after his return to white society. 6
inches (198cm) of him, clad in animal skins and carrying aboriginal weapons. He could barely speak English, but the offer of some bread triggered something and words started to come back to him. We continued; stopping at Saint Leonards, Point Londsdale, Barwon Heads and Breamlea, all places laying claim to a connection with the Buckley story. The banks of the Bream Creek
Historical Society members Betty Butterworth and Harry Wendt stand on the pedestrian bridge at Barwon Heads, named in honour of William Buckley.
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