William Buckley (convict)

For other people with similar names, see William Buckley (disambiguation).
William Buckley
William Buckley, State Library Victoria, H30879
Born1776[1]–1780[2][3]
Marton, Cheshire, near Macclesfield, Cheshire, England[2]
Died30 January 1856(1856-01-30) (aged 75–76)
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation(s)bricklayer, soldier, Indigenous culture recorder, public servant
Known for"Wild white man" who lived with the Aboriginal Wallarranga tribe of the Wathaurong nation for 32 years
Spouse(s)Julia Eager, then Julia Higgins when she and her husband came to Australia

William Buckley (born 1776–1780 – died 30 January 1856), also known as the "wild white man", was an English bricklayer, and served in the military until 1802, when he was convicted of theft. He was then transported to Australia, where he helped construct buildings for the fledgling penal settlement at Port Phillip Bay in what is now Victoria, Australia.

He escaped the settlement in 1803, and was given up for dead, while he lived among the Indigenous Wallarranga tribe of the Wathaurong nation for 32 years. In 1835, he was pardoned and became an Indigenous culture recorder. From 1837 to 1850 he was a public servant in Tasmania.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference DC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Tipping was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Flannery & Morgan 2002, p. 10.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference ADB Life sum was invoked but never defined (see the help page).