The Broulee Memorial Gardens Chapel overflowed as family, friends, colleagues and community members turned out to pay their respects at the service, which gave praise and thanksgiving for his life.

Reverend Linda Chapman conducted the service, and Aboriginal community representative and friend Loretta Parsley gave the Welcome to Country.

Ms Parsley said Fergus’s ability to influence people led to change which benefitted the whole community.

She said when Fergus was mayor he endorsed a Welcome to Country at public functions, along with other cultural practices and protocols in local government.

“His strong leadership, compassion, smile, energy, enthusiasm and ability to listen allowed many of us to embrace and share in his journey in local government,” she said.

“Fergus had a strong connection and respect for country and loved and lived his life on the land.

“He shared the same spiritual connection to Mother Earth as Aboriginal people.

“He was always supportive of Aboriginal events and shared a common goal for better relations and inclusion of Aboriginal people.”

Fergus’s son Brendan helped deliver the eulogy, which painted a picture of a family man, firmly rooted in the land and the community.

Brendan said his Dad was so connected to so many different organisations, groups and committees that he was bound to miss something.

He said first and foremost however Fergus was a stockman and a grazier, which he learned from his own father Douglas, whom he revered.

“Personally I always felt that Dad was a bushman first,” Brendan said.

“He loved the land but he was in his element in the bush while trekking to the Tuross Gorge or indeed to any part of Australia.”

Brendan described a loving father, who played hours of cricket with he and brother James, read them bedtime stories, and taught them about farming.

“He raised James and I and always gave us time, no matter how busy he was on the property,” Brendan said.

“We knew we had to start sharing him at sometime and I guess Dad was always headed for politics.”

One of Fergus’s many friends Ross Williams said he would always remember Fergus’s cheeky smile, good humour and hearty laugh.

“Ferg was an exceptional person who had the capacity to welcome everyone with a warm smile and a firm handshake,” he said.

“In every life we experience various ups and downs along the journey; Ferg can always recount the usual list of devastating floods, droughts and fires that graziers face but never once did I hear him complain or be distracted from the enjoyment of life and the prospect of a successful future.”

Alison Field read a statement from Fergus’s wife, and love-of-his-life, Yvonne.

Mrs Thomson gave heartfelt thanks to those in attendance, Fergus’s colleagues and staff at council, surf life saving representatives, family, friends and doctors.

“Finally, thank you to Ferg for our life together,” she said.

“I’m going to miss you mate.”

The service was followed by afternoon tea at the Moruya Surf Life Saving Club.