Families set to make the move to Kaitangata

The small South Otago town Kaitangata. Photo / File

The tiny Clutha town of Kaitangata is set to welcome more than a dozen new families following its campaign for new blood last year.

More than 5000 messages were left with the mayor of Kaitangata from people around the world eager to live in the South Island town when the campaign was launched.

The community of just 800 people has been pushing to expand its numbers in order to fill the numerous job vacancies and affordable houses by appealing to city-dwellers to make the move to the mouth of the Clutha river.

Many British citizens were citing the Brexit as their reason for wanting to move down under, The Guardian has reported.

The most interest had reportedly come from Syria, Poland, the US and Britain.

The town made world headlines in its attempts to entice people to move there, offering attractive land and house deals.

Under the scheme, city-dwellers are being offered house and land packages at around $230,000 - a price exasperated Auckland house hunters would not be able to imagine in their wildest dreams as the country's housing crisis continues to bite.

Evan Dick, a third generation dairy farmer offering house and land packages said he had been "overwhelmed" with international interest.

Interest in the area was so high the town was forced to halt its cheap property offers.

Kaitangata had faced prolonged decline in population until the drive for new residents.

The dozen sections on offer were sold and houses are now ready to be built.

Kaitangata District Promotions member Evan Dick told Fairfax that people were still lining up for the opportunity to buy in the area. They plan to work towards building about 20 new homes over the next three to four years.