Mon, 16th Mar, 2026 (part3) Freedom campground, Lumsden to Kawarau Bridge car park, Kawarau River, NZ (Queenstown Skyline & bungy jumpers)

Back up to the camper for a late lunch and paid for another 2 hours parking.

Walked along and zig-zagged our way up the hill to Skyline. Cemetery on the hillside.

Read my 1982 diary again - yes I was writing them back then too. Here’s a photo of our 1982 fancy dress dinner at Skippers Lodge in Queenstown - Debbie, me and Kerri. I went as a baby as when we started the tour I was the youngest. We also went up to Bob’s Peak on the gondola for dinner at the Skyline Restaurant but I don’t have a photo from that. The gondolas only had 4 seats in them - dinner was good but the band was terrible. I also went on a white water rafting trip - that was certainly fun. Great fun reading what I wrote back then.

Certainly has changed from when I was here in 1982. Found the ones I went up in and the history.

Paid our $62 each for the ride for the steepest cablecar in the Southern Hemisphere! Extra for all the other things - luge, mountain bike trails and seem to be creating more things. The riders bring their bikes up on specially made chairlift cabins. Up we go.

View down Gorge Road to Coronet Peak.

Nearly there - don’t look down Steve.

Nobody jumping today.

Over the luge track and into the terminal. Lots of construction work happening.

Free photo as we entered that we can download later. Walked through a construction tunnel that was like going down to an airplane. Lots of fun things to do. Outside at the back of the big eating area. The luge ride finishes under us then they got back up a chair lift. Everyone was having fun - we preferred to watch.

Looking below as we walked to the front. Lots of work happening.

A better view up Gorge Road and Coronet Peak.

In 1982 we had driven along the winding road to Coronet Peak in the coach - my two photos of the views.

We bumped into the German couple who sat beside us on the jetboat ride and chatted with them for a bit.

Took my selfie from the front balcony then the views over Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables and around - pretty spectacular. No trees to block the lookout view here. No info or map though to show what is what.

Saw a lady at the little balcony who was taking free photos to add to the one when we arrived. I downloaded them later - they added different backgrounds, made videos etc.

Inside is a big open bar and cafe area.

Walked up the path to watch the luge people zooming by. There is a hike to Ben Lomond from here - there is a Ben Lomond ski place in Tasmania too. Both were named after the original place in Scotland.

Back inside and through the tunnel to the cablecars again. Now for the ride down. The platform we stood on for the photos!

Looking down at the car park where we left the camper.

Mountain bikers loading on ready for a ride down the mountain.

Wandered back down the hill. We tried to get a free ‘iFly’ ride by throwing 4 bags onto a flat board with a hole in it, had to all 4 in. No luck but I got close. Not sure how much it is if they were offering $50 off!

Down the steep steps into town. AJ Hackett is still going - must only be working from their site at Kawarau Bridge. We will got there later as we can free camp in the car park.

Stopped at Patagonia Ice Creamery & Chocolaterie for an ice cream - delicious.

Walked along the foreshore. Checked out the ‘Shark’ thing.

Touched the cool Maori stone as the sign said to do.

Back to the camper. Headed back along the narrow cliff road. Across the Shotover River that we went under in the jet boat. You can see the rock island I took a photo of. A jet boat then went through as we crossed over.

Into a suburb where we found a Woolies in a big shopping complex. Bought a few things then continued on around the bottom of Lake Hayes.

Passed the turn off to Arrowton - will explore that tomorrow.

Down along the high bank of the Kawarau River which you can’t see from the camper. Bare mountain then a line of trees.

Over the Kawarau River bridge. Missed the photo. Into the car park for the Historic Bridge Reserve - also the site of AJ Hackett Bungy Jump. There are a few allocated spots for freedom campers so we pulled into one for the night.

Had a cuppa then walked down the track towards the bridge. View of the mountain beside us.

AJ Hackett building is blending in with the surroundings - growing grass on the roof.

Down to the to the historic suspension bridge which people pay to jump off! History information first. Suspension bridge built in 1880 and new road bridge in 1963, In 1988, New Zealander, AJ Hackett, started the world’s first commercial bungy jumping site here. Interesting reading of the history of ‘bungy’ jumping in Vanuatu.

Watched for a while. A 12 year old boy was having a go! Don’t look down! He went and bobbed up and down a few times before being lowered into the waiting boat.

His mother waiting on the viewing platform - she said she was nervous and glad it was over. The lad did the climb back up - that would be one reason I wouldn’t do it. He was smiling and asking to do it again. 

Looking upstream to the road bridge and the big pillars for the suspension bridge.

They have a Zip Ride here too - I have done the Minky Swing at the AJ Hackett place in Kuranda but jumping off a bridge is not on my bucket list.

The boy’s father had a turn, now it is the Mum’s go.

We walked across the suspension bridge checking out the ‘bungy’ area as we went. View upstream then downstream.

On the other side we found plaques and history info. Last one has been in the sun too long.

Watched another jumper.

Lots of steps to climb up after your jump.

Walked back then under the bridge to check out more info boards. Protected from the sun here.

Inside we found pictures of jumpers - interesting!

Back to the camper for drinks as everyone headed off. Our route today.

More travellers arrived but the allocated freedom camp parks were full but they just parked in the other spots. At least we know we are in the correct spot in case someone comes checking.

Listened to a chap playing his guitar and the couple beside us were have a good barny for a while till their friend told them to shut up. There are 3 of them in a little bongo van!