A portrait of Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society. Banks was consulted by the English government regarding the possibilities of Australia for penal settlements, and maintained an interest in the exploration of the continent throughout his life.

He first visited Australia in 1770 as a member of James Cook's explorations in the Pacific Ocean, which included the discovery by Europeans of Australia's east coast. He and his team of scientists made significant botanical collections of Australian plants, and engravings of the drawings of these were finally fully published between 1981 and 1988 as Bank's Florilegium. In 1779 he spoke before a House of Commons committee and advocated New South Wales as the best site for a new penal colony, based on his study of the soils and climate. This resulted in the settlement of Australia in 1788.

Banks later sent collectors to Australia to gather botanical and zoological specimens, and encouraged the exploration of the continent. He also believed the Australian continent must contain large rivers capable of navigation, and even considered that there was an inland sea. This stimulated exploration of the interior.

In 1801 Matthew Flinders asked Banks for support in his plans to explore and chart the Australian coastline, in particular the unknown southern coastline. Banks did provide this support, choosing the botanist, Robert Brown to accompany Flinders and writing his instructions. When Flinders was detained by the Governor of French owned Mauritius on his return voyage to England, Banks campaigned actively for his release.