Bungy bounces back at bridge

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 393, 2 July 1991, Page 6

Bungy bounces back at bridge

"The hills are alive, with the sound of WOOohaahhooaaOOAA!!" again with the return of human yo-yos to the Hapuawhenua Viaduct.

A.J. Hackett Bungy, the most experienced and largest bungy jumping operator in the world, has taken on the concession to operate bungy jumping at the historic railway viaduct in the Tongariro National Park - near Ohakune Junction. While not qualifying for a gold watch just yet the Ohakune staff are as experienced as a bungy jumping operator can be, all having worked at the Queenstown sites. Willem Groenen, who is jump controller as well as looking after all the operations part of the business, has been helping people hurtle themselves off bridges since the beginning in Queenstown, and the

other deck worker, Paul Ahern, has been in the business since before he left school. The rest of the crew have also been around the sport for some time - general manager Craig "Biggles" Biggs and Kate Vercoe, administrator and photographer have both been part of the A.J. Hackett Bungy firm for some time. The latest addition to the crew is outdoorsman Len Smythwho is site manager. The business has developed a lot since the early days with much thought going in to the whole bungy experience. "We want our jumpers to enjoy the whole experience," said Kate.

PROFILE "It's not good enough to just take their money and show them the edge." Kate backs this point up, saying the crew spent several hours and a dozen rolls of film just to get the camera angles and exposures as best they could so that people who opt for a photo of the day they plunged off the railway precipice, get the best snaps possible. Part of the development of the whole experience has incorporated the company's belief in being green. This helps them fit in with their Department of Conservation sites, but it also helps with the total experience theme. "There's no way we

would jump off cranes," said Kate. "The site has to be aesthetically pleasing as well as exciting for jumping." So the company is more than happy to work in with DoC, developing the site not only to suit jumping but people who just want to take in the great natural bush setting, mixed with a large chunk of Railway history that is

the Hapuawhenua Viaduct. To this end they have made big changes at the site, working on a walking track and stepway down to the drop off point below the bridge, and building two covered viewing platforms for spectators. It's not just a case of handing over the cash, taking a flying leap and being left groveling in the mud at the bottom. Also planned to fit in with the green side of things are park interpretation features, explaining the natural

history and the railway history of the site. To this end the crew are looking for old photographs of the site, and the whole region which would fit in with the interpretation. Long term the plans include the establishment of a pond below the bridge, though this is yet to be approved by DoC. The advantages of the pond would be psychological, for jumpers who find solid earth uninviting, for extra safety, and for the aesthetics of the site .

"And somewhere for the staff to 'swim in summer!" adds Craig. All the present crew are hard and fast mainlanders, but they say they're pleased to make the move to Ruapehu. "The area has enormous potential," said Craig. "We're all outdoors oriented people - Len and I enjoy running in the park, training for the Coast to Coast and the Mountains to the Sea. We're ideally situated both for the business sense and for our recreation."