At her cozy three-bedroom townhouse in Ryman Healthcare’s Kevin Hickman Village, Judy Harvey enjoys the quiet comforts of life — curling up with a good book, crocheting, and tending to her beloved pot plants. But behind this serene lifestyle lies a thrill-seeking spirit with a bold ambition: to complete every bungee jump in New Zealand.Now 84, Judy openly embraces her inner adrenaline junkie. While on a trip to Queenstown in March with her husband Howard, she decided it was the perfect time to leap from the 43-metre-high Kawarau Bridge — and the fact that the jump is free for anyone over 75 made it even more appealing.
I wasn’t scared,” Judy says with a smile. “I stepped to the edge, they counted down from three, and off I went. I had no apprehension at all.”Howard, her ever-supportive but firmly ground-loving husband, watched proudly from the sidelines as onlookers applauded Judy’s fearless leap.It was so much fun,” she says. “It just goes to show — you don’t have to be young to do these things!”Her friends? “They all think I’m mad!” she laughs. Still, that hasn’t deterred her from chasing her goal of ticking off every bungee jump in the country — with one small exception. “I’m skipping the Auckland Harbour Bridge,” she confesses. “It’s a bit too open and public for me.”
Judy isn’t new to extreme activities. Around 30 years ago, she completed a bungee jump in Rotorua, even managing to touch the water. Since then, she’s raced down the Queenstown luge and taken to the skies in a tandem skydive — a surprise even to Howard.We were in Wanaka, and Howard was off climbing Mt Roy,” she recalls. “I saw a sign for tandem skydiving and thought I’d fill in the time by jumping out of a plane! I didn’t feel a bit of fear — and I didn’t tell Howard until afterwards!”
As for whether Howard shares her appetite for adventure? “Heavens no!” Judy laughs. “Howard likes to keep both feet firmly on the ground.”Despite their differences, Judy believes their contrasting personalities are what make their marriage so strong.They say opposites attract — and it’s true. We balance each other out perfectly.”One thing they did agree on wholeheartedly was their decision to move into Kevin Hickman Village. Judy vividly remembers the moment it all began.We were living in a big five-bedroom house. I was in the kitchen, Howard came out of the bathroom, and I just said, ‘We’ve got to downsize!’”Their search was short — after visiting the village on a Monday, they signed the papers the next day. By that Saturday, the whole row of homes was sold out.
Now, almost three years later, the couple is happily settled. They enjoy a prime location near the soon-to-open Village Centre and have a great view of the bowling green, where Howard plans to play regularly. He also enjoys cycling with the Rusty Rims e-bike group.Judy reflects on their move with gratitude. “We’re both Christians, and I really believe we were guided here. All four of our kids helped us move in — we didn’t have to unpack a single thing. We feel truly blessed.”With their 60th wedding anniversary approaching on May 15, Judy already has her sights set on her next big thrill — a zipline adventure at Christchurch Adventure Park.I’d love to do the zipline,” she says. “I just need to rope in one of the kids to do it with me. Howard can be our official photographer!”
For Judy, age is no obstacle — just a number on the way to her next exhilarating leap.
