Buckley hated publicity and took no part in political or municipal life. Buckley died at his home, "Beaulieu" (now St Catherine's School), 17 Heyington Place, Toorak, of heart failure at the age of 80, on 9 October 1905. He was survived by his wife and five of their seven children. Of his four surviving sons, Gerald Neville was educated at Melbourne Grammar School and bought Narrapumelap station from the executors of John Dickson Wyselaskie (1883); Percy Neville became a lieutenant-colonel and Godfrey and Charles Mars returned to England.