Kawarau Jet celebrates

Jetsetters celebrate Kawarau Jet, the world's first commercial jetboating operation, turns 40 this summer and is celebrating this and with other Kawarau River firsts this month.

Jetboat trips began in 1960 to raise money for a Christian camp set up to help wayward boys. Engineers Alan and Harold Melhop, brothers from Invercargill who were camp trustees, tried out a boat with a new-fangled engine invented by Bill Hamilton.

The brothers are now in their 80s and still adventurous.

The Kawarau River is also where the first bungi jump took place and was a pioneering site for whitewater sledging.