Being home in Patea was indescribably beautiful, Ross said.
"It's all here - the places I played as a kid on the farm, the huge beach, the amazing geographic features - all here and all wonderful."
Together with a friend, also a former Patea lad, Michael Clarkson, who was away this week, the two set up a company Kai -Tel. It installs communications equipment to bring internet services to the rural areas surrounding Patea.
The business is set in the old court house and over the back fence is the old telephone exchange.
His life is now moving at a more measured pace, he said.
The lack of glitz, red carpets, celebrities, mad sports matches, huge rock concerts and grand movie openings are not missed.
"Great while it was happening but the relief of being away from all that and at home in Patea has made me very happy."
Getting internet access through to farmers in rural districts like Kakaramea, Hurleyville and Alton had been a challenge but one they have now overcome, he said.
Farms are so highly automated these days farmers needed to be online and be able to keep good records.
Insistent on this is the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme. NAIT links people, property and livestock in New Zealand.
Under the scheme, cattle and deer are traced using NAIT approved radio frequency identification device (RFID) ear tags.
Once tagged, these animals are registered in a national database and the details recorded include:-the animal's location-movements in the animal's life, and
-contact details for the person in charge of that animal.
This provides traceability for individual animals, to enhance New Zealand's ability to respond quickly if there is a biosecurity incursion such as a disease outbreak like foot and mouth.
"It means now the affected can be immediately pinpointed."
The agricultural industry recognised the need to improve New Zealand's animal tracing ability, and approached the Government to work together in 2009 and the Government agreed to help fund the development of a mandatory national animal identification and tracing scheme for cattle and deer, he said.
"All farmers need to be computer savvy and have access to the internet. That's where we come in in this area."
In Patea, the town's people have got access to the internet but rurally it is still a problem."
Ross is also on the Patea Community Board which he said means getting involved with the town and its people.
"There is so much going on here it's an amazing small town and I'm happy to be home."
