 In 1805 John and his younger brother Gregory were persuaded by Joseph Banks to emigrate to Australia.Blaxland made a good bargain with the English government which agreed that if he brought £6000 to the colony he would be granted of land, the labour of 80 convicts who would be fed for 18 months by the government, and a free passage for himself, his wife, children and servants.Gregory was the first to sail to New South Wales while John remained to sell the family estate in Kent.