That's about to change.
Mr Perkins and his wife, Wendy, will move out of the house in Arrowtown they've called home for the past 12 years tomorrow, signalling the beginning of a four year motorhome adventure that will take them first to ''every nook and cranny'' in New Zealand and then through Australia.
The three term Queenstown Lakes District councillor will officially hand in his resignation on Saturday, triggering a by election process, and just over a week later the couple, along with their dog, Tank, will hit the road.
Mrs Perkins said the epic road trip was ''never'' on the cards until one of the couple's sons had a word with her husband late last year.
''Our son said at my 75th [birthday] `It's about time you and Mum did something together', so we made the big decision,'' Mr Perkins said.
After deciding to sell up and buy a motorhome, the couple contacted real estate agents and within 24 hours, their property had sold.
A week later they went to Christchurch and returned with their new home on wheels and for the past three months they've busied themselves packing up their lives and getting ready to move on.
''It's just a new journey,'' Mrs Perkins said.
''We've got to keep on going, especially at our stage of life.
''We're not in a hurry _ we're not going to rush into anything for three months. It will take us three months to get to know what we want to do.''
The tentative plan, however, is to spend the next 12 months travelling around the South Island, beginning in Bluff, and next year tour the North Island before heading to Australia for a two year tour.
Mr Perkins said the benefit of not having a plan was the freedom to roam.
''It's a male thing _ you go from point A to point B. And you don't deviate. ''If we go to Christchurch, we stop at Geraldine for lunch. ''If there's a waterfall 10 minutes away to visit, we don't go there.
''Now, we're going to stop in every little nook and cranny.''
However, there was no doubt he would miss Arrowtown and the Queenstown Lakes District, having lived in Queenstown for 13 years from 1989 before shifting to Arrowtown in 2002.
After serving a term on the council representing the Wakatipu ward, Mr Perkins was elected to the Arrowtown seat in 2010 and was elected unopposed in the 2013 local body elections.
The former four term Bluff borough councillor and Bluff deputy mayor was also an inaugural councillor for the Southland Regional Council.
The JP and police community volunteer was also the chairman of the Arrowtown Autumn Festival committee and represented the council on a variety of committees and organisations, including the Arrowtown Village Association, the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association and the Arrowtown Cottages Trust.
Every Saturday and Sunday morning he walks around the town centre, picking up rubbish left on the streets, because the town cleaner has weekends off.
That thankless task will now go to his successor.
Mr Perkins said he had enjoyed representing Arrowtown and it had been ''a pleasure'' to serve the people there.
When asked what he was most proud of as the town's representative, Mr Perkins did not hesitate before responding ''the fact we put a wall around Arrowtown''.
In 2010 the council adopted the recommendation by commissioners to form a tight boundary around the town, making it the first place in the district with a defined urban boundary.
''Although it's had its repercussions of housing becoming dearer, it needs protecting as a small town. Otherwise, it's just going to grow and grow and grow and we'll lose that village [feeling].
''It's just going to kill the atmosphere of the town [if urban growth continues].''
While he was leaving Arrowtown ''in good heart'', there were issues to overcome for the village, including protecting the trees the town was known for and its historic zone.
Arguably most important, however, was retaining an Arrowtown voice at the council table.
''It is so critical that Arrowtown has a representative on the council. We need to retain that ward. I think the ward status is probably the most beneficial factor for Arrowtown's future.''
A farewell is planned for the couple at the Athenaeum Hall on February 8, organised by the Arrowtown Village Association.
Until then, they will continue going through their belongings, storing some, giving others away and packing what they can into their new home, which is about 8m long and has a bed, separate shower and toilet, full sized fridge, cooktop, small oven and sink, living/lounge area complete with a movable table and swivelling driver and passenger seats, as well as two televisions.
''We have our moments ... like, every 10 minutes, [but] it is exciting. It really, really is,'' Mrs Perkins said.
Mr Perkins said the couple had always enjoyed the ''caravan lifestyle''.
But, having been married for 52 years, the question was ''can we survive the 53rd in a motorhome?''.
