The bridge
Red iron.
sussexbirder — CC BY 2.0 · sussexbirder — CC BY 2.0 · Graeme Churchard — CC BY 2.0 · macronix — CC BY 2.0 · sussexbirder — CC BY 2.0
The Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge is a historic suspension bridge over the Kawarau River in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island, 43 metres above the water. It was the world's first commercial bungy jumping site, and walkers and cyclists on the Queenstown Trail cross it. The engineer Harry Higginson designed it, and it was finished in late 1880 as a key route to the Central Otago goldfields. Road traffic moved to a new bridge on State Highway 6 in 1963. It is a Category I historic place and stands in a reserve between the start of the Crown Range Road and Gibbston. You see a dark red iron bridge hung from stone towers on either side of a deep rocky gorge, with a fast green-turquoise river below between grey walls. Green shrubs and yellow flowers line the edges of the gorge, and you may see jumpers dropping towards the water. It is about 19 km from Queenstown in a straight line. Walking on the bridge and watching the jumps are free; the bungy jump itself costs a lot.
Red iron.
Green-turquoise.
Towards the water.
Kawarau Gorge, east of Queenstown, New Zealand
Yes, walking and watching are free.
As a route to the Central Otago goldfields in 1880.