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Witness History: Kawarau Bridge: The first bungee jumping site in New Zealand

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21/06/2024 GMT

Kawarau Bridge: The first bungee jumping site in New Zealand

BBC World Service - Witness History, Kawarau Bridge: The first bungee jumping site in New Zealand

In 1988 AJ Hackett brought bungee jumping to paying customers

Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown, New Zealand, became the first permanent site in the world where customers could pay to bungee jump.

On 12 November 1988, the world’s first commercial bungee jumping site was opened near Queenstown, New Zealand. 

AJ Hackett and Henry Van Asch started out bungee jumping as a hobby with friends. They developed the bungee ropes and rigging system and found the perfect site – the historic Kawarau Suspension Bridge – which would give paying customers the chance to safely fall 43 metres.

It helped make Queenstown become the adventure tourism capital of the world. Josephine McDermott jumped from the bridge herself 20 years ago and finds out from AJ Hackett how it all came about.

(Photo: A jump from Kawarau Bridge. Credit: Getty Images)

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