63 – Buckley & the Wathawurrung: Pt 2

In Part 2 of William Buckley’s story, living amongst the Wathawurrung people who adopted him, we hear how he adapted and learned a great many skills.  He was able to record many of the practices that allowed his mob to live so successfully, in country that almost killed him.  And we learn of tragedies that deeply disturbed him.

(62 mins)



Seven Seasons of the Kulin People
Seven Seasons of the Kulin People
Buckley drawn by Wedge at first contact with incoming Europeans (after they had given him clothes by the look of it?).   Note hair length.
Common media image of Buckley – ‘Wild White Man’.
Wurdi Youang – Aboriginal Astronomy
Wurdi Youang Alignments (Wiki)

No podcast recommendation this episode


REFERENCES Ep 63

LARKINS, ROBERT, 2020. The personal history of William Buckley: Murrangurk among the First People.  North Melbourne: Arcadia. ISBN 978-1-925801-21-7.

MORGAN, JOHN., 1852. The life and adventures of William Buckley: Thirty-two years a wanderer amongst the Aboriginies of the then Port Phillip, now the Province of Victoria. . New Ed. London: Melbourne: Heinemann.    Online version via Hathi Trust

TIPPING, Marjorie J., 1966. Buckley, William (1780–1856). In: Australian Dictionary of Biography. Online. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. [Accessed September 2022]. Available from: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/buckley-william-1844

Australian Indigenous Astronomy. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: http://www.aboriginalastronomy.com.au/

HAMACHER, Duane W., FULLER, Robert S., BOSUN, David and LEAMAN, Trevor M., 2020. Solstice and Solar Position observations in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, Vol. 23(1), pp. 89-99. Online. 1 January 2020. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: https://www.academia.edu/41717740/Solstice_and_Solar_Position_observations_in_Australian_Aboriginal_and_Torres_Strait_Islander_traditions

Wurdi Youang Stone Arrangements: http://www.aboriginalastronomy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Hamacher-2012-Wurdi-Youang.pdf

Marshall, Adrian.  These historic grasslands are becoming a weed-choked waste. It could be one of the world’s great parks.  https://theconversation.com/these-historic-grasslands-are-becoming-a-weed-choked-waste-it-could-be-one-of-the-worlds-great-parks-144208

Seasons in the Sky – Inspiring Victoria, 2020. Online. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: https://inspiringvictoria.org.au/2020/08/13/seasons-in-the-sky/, https://inspiringvictoria.org.au/2020/08/13/seasons-in-the-sky/

English Heritage Podcast – Episode 182 – Circles of Stone: Stonehenge and Prehistoric Japan

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape – Visit Today. Online. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: https://www.budjbim.com.au/

Budj Bim National Park. Online. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: http://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/budj-bim-national-park

DELWP, 2022. Technology reveals more than 6,600 years of ancient wisdom at Budj Bim. DELWP. Online. 7 May 2022. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: https://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/media-centre/home/budj-bim-world-heritage-site

MCNIVEN, Ian J. The detective work behind the Budj Bim eel traps World Heritage bid. The Conversation. Online. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: http://theconversation.com/the-detective-work-behind-the-budj-bim-eel-traps-world-heritage-bid-71800

Early History of the Colony of Victoria, Volume II. Online. [Accessed  November 2022]. Available from: https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks13/1301991h.html

STANCOMBE, G. H.  Wedge, John Helder (1793–1872). In: Australian Dictionary of Biography. Online. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wedge-john-helder-2778

TIPPING, Marjorie J. (1966). Buckley, William (1780–1856). In: Australian Dictionary of Biography. Online. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. [Accessed  September 2022]. Available from: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/buckley-william-1844

WAHLQUIST, Calla, 2017. Indigenous owners hope ancient eel traps will be recognised as world heritage. The Guardian. Online. 9 January 2017. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jan/10/indigenous-owners-hope-ancient-eel-traps-recognised-world-heritage

Watch out for the bunyip – ABC (none) – Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Online. [Accessed November 2022]. Available from: https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2007/06/22/1959484.htm


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