[1] He spent his early years living with his family at the Wairau Bar near Blenheim where, in 1939 as a schoolboy, he discovered early human skeletons and associated artefacts including necklaces, stone tools and moa egg.
Eyles discovered several more burials on the bar, and assisted with the excavations carried out by Roger Duff from the Canterbury Museum.
Duff recognised his contribution by naming an extinct hawk found in the swamp the Eyles' harrier.
In the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours, Eyles was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to archaeology.
[2] A descendant of pioneer whaler Jimmy Jackson,[3] Eyles worked at Canterbury, Hokitika and Nelson Museums, as well as in whaling and farming.