He hasn't left.
Eastwood has plenty of reasons to remain in the town: he and his Australian partner have two young girls; his parents live there (they arrived from the Manawatu a couple of years before him); and there's something about the place that moves him to write music.
The result of that relationship between mountains and muse is a debut album, Artificial World.
Released independently by Eastwood, it features 10 original songs, all of which were recorded in the lounge of his Wanaka home.
Eastwood describes his music as "acoustic folk rock" and it's a fairly apt summary.
The musician draws on a range of influences and, in utilising a relatively simple guitar technique, lets his voice carry the tune.
Eastwood says Bob Dylan is a big influence, though there are also hints of more recent songwriters, particularly Jose Gonzalez (perhaps without the dexterous thrills), Damien Rice and Jack Johnson.
"My songs are really built on my licks and, technically, I'm not that talented when it comes to playing the instrument," Eastwood (29) explains.
"I've always sat down at home late at night when it's quiet.
"I've got kids so when they are in bed, I'll just sit down and reflect on the day gone by or what's coming up.
"There is usually a bit of a melody or a couple of words that spawn the song ... It just sort of happens."
Eastwood had more than 30 songs to choose from for his album but "picked the 10 mellowest".
He bought a digital recording unit last year and began playing around with it.
Once he'd mastered its functions, he decided to get to work on his debut.
To celebrate the release, Eastwood embarks on a short tour tomorrow, playing venues in Central Otago and Dunedin.
His album will be available at the gigs, Play It Again Records (Wanaka, Queenstown) and on the Internet.
Eastwood used distribution company TuneCore to access a range of Internet music sales sites, including iTunes.
Raised in Masterton, then Manawatu, Eastwood ended up in Auckland where he studied character animation.
Despite plans to head overseas to pursue a career in the field, Eastwood has instead found an outlet in the South.
Until recently, he has been painting houses to fund an art career, but "it turned out my music has taken over from my art".
Self-taught, Eastwood began playing guitar at 17 when his mum had her instrument returned by a friend.
"Being a creative person, I was experimenting writing my own songs, but it wasn't until the move to Wanaka that I started finding a bit more inspiration with the landscape and a bit of direction when Jack Johnson's music started coming out.
"I started writing some decent songs and was encouraged to get out and play and the feedback has been pretty good."
Talked into participating at acoustic nights in Wanaka by his partner last winter, Eastwood is now a regular performer on the scene.
"It hasn't stopped," he enthuses.
"It has been word-of-mouth, by chance, pretty much around Wanaka . . .
"I have been throwing in a few covers to mix it up. But this tour it is pretty much my own material.
"I'll throw in maybe six covers, including Jack Johnson, Damien Rice, Tiki Taane and the Black Seeds.
"I just want to get out there and play. I just want to do this tour and gauge the response, see how it goes."
See him, hear him
Benjamin James Eastwood plays the following dates in the South:
Tomorrow, The Local Bar, Wanaka, 4pm.
Monday, July 7, Dux de Lux, Queenstown, 8pm.
Tuesday, July 8, Sky Bar, Queenstown, 10pm.
Wednesday, July 9, Victoria Arms Hotel, Cromwell, 8pm.
Friday, July 11, Arc Café, Dunedin, 8pm.
