The 35-year-old, who was found dead in his Elderslie home last Wednesday morning, will be cremated after a funeral service today.
''We are struggling but we are getting there ... We have great support,'' his sister, Kim Julius, told the Otago Daily Times.
Mr McFarlane was ''a fun-loving guy with a great sense of humour''.
''He was a hard worker and a devoted dad. He loved his kids completely, was a great son and a much-loved brother.''
She praised police, who had kept the family up to date with developments.
That case included two more arrests yesterday.
Stephanie Rose Lawrence (26), shop assistant, and Corbin George Taylor (17), employed, both of Oamaru, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday on charges of being an accessory after the fact in relation to assistance given to those now charged with murder.
Both were remanded on bail, with conditions, to appear in the Oamaru District Court on October 9.
That brings to seven the number of people arrested as part of Operation Steelers, including four people aged between 18 and 23 charged with murder.
Yesterday, teams continued to search an area of the Maheno-Kakanui road for items of interest in the investigation.
Some were located by a team of about 20 people, who have been searching a 500m to 600m area
along the road. Police declined to provide details on those items of interest found in their search, which concluded yesterday.
The police search involved seven Christchurch-based specialist search staff, who were assisted by 14 local community volunteers from the North Otago Search and Rescue Club, the North Otago Tramping Club and the local fishing club.
''Their assistance is hugely appreciated and they've been fantastic in giving up their time to help police in their search for items of interest,'' Detective Senior Sergeant John Ferguson, of Dunedin, said.
