Employed by the Australian Agricultural Company, twenty eight year old John Edward Stacy arrived in Australia on the Magnet' in 1828 with his wife Jane and their child. Others who had made the journey on the Magnet included Thomas Hewitt, Thomas Sawkins, Benjamin Stacey and John Swayne.

On his arrival at Carrington, Port Stephens Dr. Stacy and his family resided with the other families, the hospital wardsman and the patients.  Sir Edward Parry thought the hospital no more than a shed.

John Stacey was also a botanist and early in his time at Port Stephens established gardens where he planned to grow Tobacco, Olives and Poppies.   No doubt two of the convicts assigned to Stacey -  farmer's man Thomas Emmett who arrived on the Manlius in 1827 and Anthony Tunsil  a gardener who arrived on the Roslin Castle in 1833 proved useful in Stacey's botanical experiments.

In 1835, the following notice (advertisement) appeared the Australian:

'We understand that Mr. Stacy, Surgeon to the Australian Agricultural company, at Port Stephens, intends settling with his family at Peel's River, for the purpose principally of turning his attention to the culture of Medical plants; but we hope that he does not intend to give up the lancet for the spade, as his professional abilities will prove highly advantageous to the neighbouring settlers. While we admire the independence of Mr. Stacy's feelings, we cannot but regret that a pupil of Sir William Blizzard, and Mr. Headington under whom Mr. Stacy walked the boards of the London Hospital, and whose undeniable approbation he attained, should seclude himself with his family in the bush. We wish Mr. Stacy success in his undertaking, and hope he may never repent having thrown up a good practice in England, to become a settler at the Antipodes.'

John Stacey did not settle on the Peel River but near Port Macquarie. He was visited there by traveller Clement Hodgkinson who was on an overland journey from Port Macquarie to Newcastle: