It was 18 years ago when Mr Ferguson (54) moved away from Kaitangata for work.
''I've been trying to buy a section down here for years. Through word of mouth, you wait for them to come up and then Evan got [the land and house package] cranked up.''
He was quick to be one of the first to buy one of the sections and sign up for the package.
Construction has slowed down since he was made redundant at his job in Timaru, but that has not stopped him completely.
The section he bought as part of the package has had some landscaping and the beginnings of a fence completed so it can be readied for a house.
The next step is to build a garage, by which point he hopes to have got a job in the district.
Then he will start work on his house.
Kaitangata is about the lifestyle for him.
He enjoyed having the river close by so he could go fishing and whitebaiting.
Knowing the community was also a big part of moving back.
He is not the only person who has taken advantage of what Kaitangata has to offer.
Melanie and Tony Bonney were living in Perth with a dream of being mortgage-free.
They knew it was going to be impossible in Australia, so started looking in Christchurch.
While doing that, they heard about the Kaitangata scheme and called Evan Dick.
They visited Kaitangata after that, and while not going for the land and house deal, fell in love with an existing house, bought it and are renovating it.
They also considered buying at Clinton, but realised it was Kaitangata that had everything they needed, Mrs Bonney said.
