Abraham Fenton arrived with the 48th Regiment in 1818 on the convict ship Minerva. He was employed as Assistant Surgeon for the 48th under the command of Captain Allman.

Dr. Fenton was appointed Assistant Surgeon at Newcastle in 1820 and attributed the poor health of military personnel at Newcastle to the dearth of fresh provisions in the settlement.

He was appointed Surgeon in 1821 and accompanied Captain Allman to Port Macquarie where a Penal Settlement was to be established on the recommendation of Colonel Erskine. The Sydney Gazette reported on 24th March 1821:

The Expedition for the intended new settlement of Port Macquarie, under command of Captain F. Allman, of His Majesty's 48th Regt., sailed for its destination on Wednesday last. His Majesty's brig Lady Nelson, schooner Prince Regent, and Mermaid cutter, are the vessels that have taken down the troops, prisoners and stores. They landed there on 17-18th April 1821.

No tidings were heard from the settlement for some time and fears were held for their safety. Finally news reached Sydney that the expedition had reached their destination, although not without difficulty:

The three vessels, the Lady Nelson, the Prince Regent and the Mermaid, had met with contrary winds; and each of them in crossing or attempting to cross the bar at the entrance of Port Macquarie had been more or less injured. The Lady Nelson has experienced the most damage, so much so, that it will require a quantity of exertion and some time to make her once more sea worthy; the Mermaid cutter lost her rudder, and the Prince Regent's was unshipped; but was, in consequence of being supplied with the rudder belonging to the Lady Nelson, about sailing for Sydney.

There were no casualties and the Commandant and other Officers with all those under them were reported to be in perfect health.

John Oxley was sent to survey the harbour and make it safer. He had buoys placed in positions on the bar and sunken rock in the entrance into the harbour, a code of signals was established, and a competent Pilot employed. When John Oxley returned to Sydney in July on the Mermaid he reported that the Settlement was in good health, and had a plentiful supply of provisions for some months. The Commandant, by great exertions, had  eight acres of wheat sown and was preparing for corn, and every effort used to construct comfortable habitations for the troops.

Abraham Fenton remained at Port Macquarie until 1824-25 and was replaced by Francis Moran

Fenton Island and Fenton Passage near Telegraph Point were named after him.

Abraham Fenton died at Trichinopolly on 20 April 1825