After Mr. Buck's retirement from ill-health, he was associated with Mr. John Hawkshaw in surveying for the Manchester and Southport line and subsequently for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway near Heckmondwike.
[1] In 1850, he was engaged in superintending the construction of various public buildings in London, under the direction of the Society for Improving the Dwellings of the Poor, a model of one of which was erected in connection with the Great Exhibition of 1851.
[1] In 1852, Clement Wilks left England for Australia, and immediately after arriving in Melbourne joined the Victorian Public Service, as an Assistant Colonial Engineer.
[2] Wilks practised as an architect and engineer, having prepared designs for the Congregational Church, 24 Lyttleton Street West, Castlemaine in 1855 (Listed on the Register of the National Estate: Place 4203)[3] Clement Wilks was appointed Ballarat Road Engineer in 1857 having initially been stationed in Barkers Creek or Castlemaine.
Wilks also served on the Ballarat Sludge Commission, which was given the role of solving the flooding and silting problems caused by damage done by gold mining along the creeks.
[4] Wilks was a member of the Yarra Track Committee responsible for building this coach and dray road to the Woods Point Goldfields.