Born in Sydney, Australia,[citation needed] Ferguson attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and graduated in 1981.

[1][better source needed] In 1982, he played Paul Sheppard in the television series Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series), played alongside Michael York in the film The Far Country and starred in The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior".

Between 1992 and 1995, he portrayed twin brothers Darryl and Damian Neilson in the popular New Zealand soap opera "Shortland Street" and had a stint in the award-winning animation short film "When Ponds Freeze Over".

Though most of his scenes were eventually cut from the movie, he can still be spotted at several shots during the film's prologue.

Also in 2001 Ferguson played Andrew Couch in the television series Spin Doctors.