The practice of recreational jumping from the Albert Town bridge into the Clutha River will be part of an upcoming review of the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) Navigation Safety Bylaw 2018.

Jumping off bridges into rivers remains a permitted activity in the current bylaw but it has come under threat in recent years, including a short-lived ban at the popular local jumping spot.

“The community has used bridges and other structures for jumping/swimming for a long time, and this has increased as our population has grown,” QLDC regulatory manager Anthony Hall told the Wānaka App.

“Similarly, the number of other users has increased including those with powered vessels.

With different users come differing views around how these activities should be managed.”

Abby Cameron-Small takes the plunge for the first time. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Members of the community will get the opportunity to have their say on the review - and any impact on bridge jumping - as part of a consultation process in the second half of this year, he said.

In early 2019 the owner of the Albert Town bridge, NZTA Waka Kotahi, placed ‘No Jumping’ signs on the bridge following concerns raised by Wānaka Police and then QLDC harbourmaster Marty Black.

Marty estimated six near-drownings from people jumping off the Albert Town bridge since the beginning of December 2018 to February 2019. 

QLDC told the Wānaka App at the time that people’s choice to jump from the bridge had “knock-on effects to other river users, emergency services and commercial operators, and any incidents call upon resources and cost to respond”.

Local backlash against the ‘No Jumping’ signs included a petition seeking to remove the bridge jumping ban, which attracted 6,144 signatories before the sign was removed.

Eleven-year-old Jack Brewer leaps into the air. PHOTO: James Brewer

This week the Wānaka App went along to the Albert Town bridge and met local bridge jumper of 17 years, Caleb.

Caleb said jumping off the bridge is a rite of passage and “a multi-generational thing”.

“There’s always a lot of people who come and do it, the tourists come and see kids jump off in summer. It’s really cool. It’s a pastime for kids, keeps them out of trouble,” he said.

While the Wānaka App was talking to Caleb, two 11-year-old boys came along (with their parents) to jump from the bridge (the jumping zone is marked with grippy tape on the bridge railing), and a MAC teenager came along (with her father) to jump for the first time. There was information sharing and lots of encouragement among the group.

Caleb agreed with QLDC that there are more people jumping over the past 17 years, adding: “but it’s more just school kids and stuff. Only very occasionally I’ve seen what I might worry is too many people on the bridge.”

“I feel like most kids are pretty water safe around here; they know where it’s deep,” he said.

“At least it’s one spot where lots of people jump off. I’ve only seen people almost in trouble when they’re trying to do something silly, but that’s no different to anywhere else.”

Anthony said the draft bylaw will be presented to elected members in the coming months and it should be publicly notified in the second half of the year.