Having arrived in New South Wales in 1853, Blakeney spent a few years in commerce. He became a public servant in the New South Wales Sheriff's Office in 1856. In 1859 he moved to the new colony of Queensland to take up a similar role in the Sheriff's Office in the newly established Queensland Public Service. In 1861 he was appointed the first under-sheriff of Queensland. In 1865 William Blakeney was appointed Deputy Registrar-General, a post he held until 1883 when he was appointed the Registrar-General of Queensland. In these roles he was called upon to give evidence in court cases relating to alleged bigamy. William Blakeney was Registrar for Friendly Societies in Queensland. and also Registrar for Patents in Queensland. He was appointed one of the original trustees of South Brisbane Cemetery in 1866. He frequently served as returning officer for elections. He authored a number of documents:
"Law relating to registration of patents, designs, and trade marks in Queensland"
"Queensland : its population, area, resources, etc"
"Letters of registration granted for inventions during the year 1884 and part of the year 1885 : with abridgements of specifications in each case / compiled from the original documents in the office of the registrar of patents, Brisbane"
Some time in the early-mid-1860s the couple built a home 'Cooltigue' set in 16 acres of land in the suburb Highgate Hill, which in 1931 was described as one of Brisbane's historic homes. It was named after the family home in Ireland. William Blakeney died at his home in South Brisbane on 26 June 1898 at the age of 65 years. He was buried in South Brisbane Cemetery on 27 June 1898. His wife died on 6 April 1907 and is buried with him and some of their children in South Brisbane Cemetery. Blakeney Street is named after him. The parallel Julia Street is named after his maternal grandmother, Julia Jefferies. His parents owned a property on the corner of Gladstone road and Gloucester Sts, which was burnt in a massive fire, some time in the 1890s. The land behind his parents house was subdivided and sold in a land estate sale. The nearby Louisa, Mabel and Gertrude Sts are named after his three youngest daughters.
