He was born at Berry Park on the Hunter River to landowners John and Jane Eales.
In 1880 he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council, where he served until his death at his Duckenfield estate in 1894.
[1] He earned his income from breeding racehorses and other stock and taking on tenant farmers.
In 1880s, Eales owned Morpeth House[2] and was the first European settler in Duckenfield.
[3] According to Harry Boyle's Historic Largs Village, John Eales offered to take the Midlothian immigrants, but they refused and decided to settle on Goulburn Grove.