He's loved his time as pouarahi. Highlights have included the transformation plan he intends to continue championing, the white ribbon campaign against domestic violence, environmental advocacy and a steady advance toward settling Treaty of Waitangi land claims.
He won't be leaving Ohakune when Ms Gowland-Douglas takes over. He's planning to stay and said parenting would be his primary role - something he hasn't had much time for in the past three years.
As well as that, he'll return to contract work in Maori development, with a special interest in getting as much value for Maori as possible out of Maori land. There's lots of Maori land in the Ruapehu District.
Wife Riria (Missy) Te Kanawa, an accountant, will maintain their Ohakune-based Koa Group accounting business.
Mr Wilson hopes to have time to ski with his children, a boy and girl aged eight and six, when their school goes to the mountain. And he may get the urge to write Maori songs and poetry if he has enough leisure.
As well as contracting to Ngati Rangi, Whanganui and further afield, Mr Wilson will continue with his calling as cultural supporter for his tribe. He said there was no European title or equivalent for that role.
He was brought up in Ohakune, the youngest of a big family. He went to Victoria University and then worked in Auckland and Wellington before spending two years in the United Kingdom. He then started a consultancy business in Hamilton before moving back to Wanganui, then Ohakune.
He's always had an obligation to serve the tribe, he said.
"When I wanted to go to the UK I had to ask the elders. They said: 'Yes, go because we need you to understand the world'."
He'd like to go back overseas, but not now.
"This is the place where our children need to be raised, to root them to our turangawaewae. "
