Pupils and teachers from Remarkables Primary School and
KingsView School took the plunge for the first time on Monday
when AJ Hackett Bungy held its fifth annual school open day
on its 24th birthday.
Pupils from the Frankton schools plus Queenstown Primary
School and Cromwell Primary School selected by draws about
five brave pupils and teachers per school to bungy jump for
the first time.
Visiting children tucked into a sausage sizzle, received a
bag of souvenirs and cheered on their classmates and teachers
as they prepared to jump.
KingsView School pupil Ben Nicol (12) said that while he felt
"scared", it was reassuring the Kawarau River was below the
platform.
"I've always wanted to [bungy jump] because my dad did it and
he passed out on the way down," Ben said.
Kawarau Bungy Centre business manager Richard Mackley said AJ
Hackett Bungy was "an iconic company in Queenstown and it's
appropriate to keep the community involved in what we're
doing".
"It gives the kids a great experience to take away from the
day.
"They love seeing their teachers throw themselves off."
Upgrades continue at the centre in Gibbston after the
check-in counter and cafe swapped corners in time for Labour
Weekend.
Contractors are building a new outside bar and a 250m zip
line attraction, both near the viewing deck and both to
finish around December 10, although testing and certification
of the zip line means it is likely to open to the public
after Christmas.
Patrons will travel individually or in tandem on three
parallel zip lines down 125m to a building on the raft track,
then travel back up.
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