Roger "Fergo" Ferguson is a self-proclaimed 'village idiot', known for communicating in "little sayings" and reckons there's a Britannica encyclopedia amount of things he's done in his life.
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Growing up on Sydney's beaches on the hill tops of Dee Why, surfing was all around him during his youth.
"When surfing first started I went to Manly Boys High School and all the surfboard factories started [up] around me," he said
"I got a huge surfing background."
Mr Ferguson recalls an "us and them" mentality of those who surfed and those who studied and says he was "always on the periphery".
Encouraged by his father to "study something", Mr Ferguson went on the become a teacher and eventually into headmaster roles.
He spent much of his career working in small communities throughout Australia.
"I always worked with the disadvantaged and underprivileged...I believe you get more out of life by helping people".
Mr Ferguson says he "went through all small schools out west", recalling names of seven towns off the top of his head.
As a relief teacher and a "sporty person", Mr Ferguson said he was able to easily get to know the community where he was stationed and meet all the kids.
"Because [I was] a teacher in a small town [I got] an accelerated acceptance," he said.
"I had long hair, a beard and I had a dog and I was known as the 'Hippie Teacher'".
After being "moved around" as a teacher, Mr Ferguson landed a principal role inland, but couldn't shake his craving for the coast.
"I was always trying to get back to the coast because I come from a surfing community as a youngster," said Mr Ferguson.
A deputy principle position at Aldavilla Primary School was his ticket back to the ocean.
Mr Ferguson was willing to take the demotion in his career to make the sea-change. The decision lead to working with "the best boss" during the "best years" of his career over the next 12 years and he eventually took on the principal position.
Mr Ferguson is proud of his work and relationships built with his colleagues and schoolchildren.
"I was the village idiot. I was always the clown, always an entertainer," Mr Ferguson said.
"I always used to say to the teachers 'catch the kids being good don't catch them being bad.'"
The Job at Aldavilla saw Mr Ferguson move to the village of Crescent Head where he was able to take up surfing once again.
He's been heavily involved in the Crescent Head Malibu Club for "thirty odd years."
He was Secretary, Vice President and now coming up to 12 years as President of the club.
"I always did a lot of work behind the scenes," he said.
A favourite saying of Mr Ferguson's - "We're Amigos with no egos"- which he uses proudly, especially when talking about the Crescent Head Malibu Classic run by the club which first began in 1989 and recently saw over 230 participants in this year's competition.
"There's a glue in the surfing community, and that glue is priceless," he said.
Mr Ferguson is happy to have found his home in Crescent Head and appreciated the unique beauty of the village.
"I haven't travelled the world a lot - I've surfed in different places around the world and met lots of people- but when you look at what we've got here, this is so unique," he said.
"People travel all around Australia and this is the jewel in the crown."
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