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In 1803, at Sorrento, the first European settlement was attempted in Victoria. The colonising party formed in England had as its leader Lieutenant David Collins and included about 71 marines, administrators, a missionary and his wife and 307 slaves.
William Buckley then 20 years old was a convict in that party who escaped on 27th December, 1803 together with four other convicts and made their way around Port Phillip Bay living off the land. William Buckley’s companions finally returned to the settlement at Sorrento and gave themselves up. Buckley set off on his own.
The settlement in Sorrento was abandoned and it was presumed that Buckley was dead. however, he survived on shell fish off the rocks around the coast. He was found by local Aboriginal tribesmen who feed and sheltered him until he regained his strength. The aborigines presumed that Buckley was a reincarnated chief and called him Murrangurk and so spent 32 years, hunting, fighting and learning the aboriginal languages.
He travelled around Port Phillip bay and visited Corangamite and into the catchments of Barwon and Moorobool Rivers. When Buckley finally made contact with a new wave of white settlers at Indented Head in July, 1835, he was described as a majestic figure measuring six feet seven inches tall, bronzed by exposure to the weather with flowing hair and beard, cloaked in a kangaroo rug bearing native weapons.
He was given a free pardon from Governor Arthur in 1835 and acted as a guide and interpreter for John Batman and other pioneers in opening up the Port Phillip District.
So when you hear the expression "you have two chances - Buckley’s or none" you will realise where the saying originates and that you really do not have much chance of getting what you want from the fact that it was thought that the chances of Buckley being alive after 32 years were very remote.
- Source unknown