10 | T Tto page 12 Oxbow Adventure Co. T T Kelly Deeks Cycle trail prompts ‘gentle’ innovation “This is a high-risk industry, but we have got awesome systems in place. That’s the cool thing about New Zealand tourism, it is very well regulated and we have annual audits to make sure our systems are working and our activities are safe.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Oxbow Adventure Co is now adding gentler ways to experience the Gibbston Valley as it approaches six years at its purpose-built Queenstown site and prepares for the Kawarau Gorge Cycle Trail to bring thousands more visitors past its front door. The adventure business opened its flagship hub in 2020, bringing to Queenstown a distinctive mix of four-seat jet sprint boats, custom-built all-terrain vehicles, and clay target shooting. Now, with the Kawarau Gorge Cycle Trail expected to open before Christmas, managing director Darb Richmond is expanding the range to appeal to visitors who may prefer views and wildlife to high-G thrills. Oxbow began in 2012 in Wānaka on a property owned by Darb’s wife’s parents Julie and Lloyd Ferguson, where it operated as a corporate retreat with activities on a large site overlooking the Clutha River. Tourism was booming before the Covid-19 pandemic, and two products in particular stood out: four-seat off-road vehicles and jet sprint boats. “There are a lot of products in Wānaka, but our main products were different. People were loving them,” Darb says. Finding a suitable Queenstown site took about two years, followed by another two years of development. The location needed reliable water for the boats, flat land for a purpose-built jet sprint course, a hillside for the off-road track, and direct access to the highway. The Gibbston Valley site, near wineries and other adventure operators, offered all four. Its 190-metre pond has five islands around which the boats race, while the hillside track puts passengers through steep gullies, rock climbs, and tight turns. Nearby wineries also cater for corporate groups, and Oxbow sends guests to them for lunch, creating a natural link between activities and local hospitality. The vehicles are built for a very different experience from conventional jet boats or offroad tours. Oxbow’s jet sprint boats accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 2.5 seconds and can pull three to four G through corners. Built by seven-time world jet sprint champion Peter Caughey, they are the world’s only four-seat jet sprint boats, carrying a driver and three passengers. Darb says the four-seat design gives guests a more intimate experience, with the emphasis on acceleration and cornering rather than carrying large groups. The custom-built four-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steer off-roaders were built by five-time New Zealand 4x4 Trails champion Dan Cowper. Oxbow has introduced a custom-built 12-seat tour vehicle that climbs behind the site to a viewpoint over the vineyards and Gibbston Valley.
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