New Kawarau Swing brings family-friendly thrills to Queenstown

The South Island’s first three-person adventure swing has opened at the Kawarau Bridge, home of AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand.

AJHBNZ co-founder Henry van Asch and Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods were the first to experience the new Kawarau Swing at its official launch on Friday.

Located at the original home of bungy, the Kawarau Swing has been designed as a milder, family-friendly alternative to the world-famous bungy jump. It’s the latest addition to AJHBNZ’s line-up, building on nearly 37 years of pioneering adventure experiences.

AJHBNZ chief executive David Mitchell says the new attraction caters to a broad range of visitors.

“We’re very excited to be launching another safe and exhilarating experience at the Kawarau Bungy Centre,” David says.

“The Kawarau Swing is a fantastic, family-friendly experience that complements our bungy and zipline activities to elevate the overall guest experience. It’s been years in the making, and we’re excited to see this great innovation come to fruition at the original home of bungy.”

Launching from a purpose-built platform on the Kawarau Bridge viewing deck, the swing features a retractable floor, meaning no self-initiated ‘step off’ is required. Riders swing 43 metres above the Kawarau River before being smoothly winched back to the platform.

Henry says the new experience is ideal for those wanting a thrill without the full intensity of a bungy jump.

“The Kawarau Swing hits that sweet spot between the full-on adrenaline rush of a bungy and the pure joy of a zipride,” he says.

“It will enhance Queenstown’s adventure tourism offering – we expect it to be very popular with visiting families, couples, and groups. The swing was designed with families and couples in mind, and anyone from the age of eight can ride it. It’s also a fun activity for spectators, who can watch every bit of the action from the viewing platform.”

The Kawarau Swing has undergone three years of planning, design, and engineering, including rigorous testing, peer review, and independent inspection before the launch.

“Safety is number one with all of our experiences and has been since we opened in 1988,” Henry says. “Our stringent safety systems have been part of the process every step of the way for the Kawarau Swing. Now it’s ready for people to come out here and enjoy it.”