Mr Wilson resigned from his position on the board earlier this month.
"It’s been a pleasure to work for them," he told the Oamaru Mail.
"It’s a very community-, family-orientated organisation with a good number of young people involved and that’s really encouraging to see in this day and age."
Time commitments were the biggest factor in his resignation, he said.
He had been on the board since 2023 but his involvement with the society began in 1985.
"That’s when the society was formed, so I’ve been involved with the old part of town since then.
"I’ve been involved in multiple projects with the society, including helping to get the little railway station built."
Mr Wilson plans to remain a supporter of the society from afar.
"The most exciting era for the Victorian Precinct and for the Oamaru Steam and Rail organisation, that period is coming up.
"The way that it is going to be achieved is there needs to be far greater co-operation within the town, with everybody involved with tourism.
"There is potential for greater cohesion between all the main tourism attractions in the district as well as operators."
Oamaru Steam and Rail Society president Ken McCallum was full of praise for Mr Wilson.
"David came on board and did a pretty sterling job for us and is largely responsible for driving the success of our launch of the rail car and the book because he set a target for us and kept us hard at it.
"Without his tenacity, we probably wouldn’t have reached where we reached in the time scale we reached it.
"We’re sorry to see him go."
The society would follow its process to find a replacement.
