At home in her three bedroom townhouse at Ryman Healthcare’s Kevin Hickman Village, resident Judy Harvey likes nothing better than to read a good book, take up a spot of crochet or tend to her pot plants.

But there is another more adventurous side to grandmother-of-six Judy, who admits she is something of an adrenalin junkie with a secret ambition to complete every bungee jump in New Zealand!

In March, Judy and her husband Howard were on a trip to Queenstown when Judy decided she wanted to do the 43m bungee jump from Kawerau Bridge.

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“It’s free if you’re over 75, and I’m 84,” says Judy.

“I wasn’t scared, I stepped to the edge, and I think they said 3,2,1 and off I went. I had no apprehension about it whatsoever.

“Howard said quite a few people clapped when I jumped off. It was fun, and it just shows you don’t have to be young to do these things!”

Judy loves the thrill of adrenalin activities!

Her friends’ reactions? “They all think I’m mad!” she laughs. “But my ambition is to do every bungee in New Zealand, well except the Harbour Bridge. That’s a bit too open and a bit too public for me.”

It’s not Judy’s first rodeo either – she did a bungee jump in Rotorua about 30 years ago – and got to touch the water that time – plus she’s barrelled down the Queenstown luge and has even done a tandem skydive.

“We were visiting Wanaka and Howard was on a climb up Mt Roy. On the way back from dropping him off, I saw the sign for the tandem skydive and decided to fill in time by jumping out of a plane!

“I didn’t feel any sense of fear or apprehension. And Howard had no idea – I didn’t tell him until afterwards!”

Asked whether Howard joined her on her latest thrill-seeking whim, the answer was decisive.

“Heavens no!” she laughs. “Howard is the kind of person who likes to have both feet on the ground at all times.”

Judy with husband Howard who is happy to keep both feet on the ground!

Judy says the couple’s different characteristics are what makes their marriage a match made in heaven.

“They say opposites attract like north and south. And we have a good marriage because we’re opposites.”

Judy says they were both definitely on the same page when it came to moving into Kevin Hickman Village however.

“I remember the exact moment. We had a five bedroom house on a big section, I was in the kitchen and Howard came out of the bathroom and I said to him, ‘We’ve got to downsize!’

“We looked around for about two weeks, then visited Kevin Hickman Village on the Monday, signed up on the Tuesday and all the houses in the row were signed up by the Saturday!”

They love their location in the village, close to Village Centre, which is scheduled to open in June. They also have a great view of the bowling green, where Howard plans to roll up on a regular basis. It’s also easy for Howard to take off on his e-bike with the Rusty Rims cycling group.

Judy in a quieter moment at home in her townhouse at Kevin Hickman Village.

Judy reckons it was divine intervention that led them there almost three years ago. “We’re both Christians and I feel like we were guided to the village.

“All four of our kids moved us in – we didn’t have to unpack a single thing! We’re so lucky, we feel blessed - we really couldn’t be happier.”

Now, with their 60^th wedding anniversary coming up on 15 May, Judy is planning another hair-raising adventure this time at the Christchurch Adventure Park.

“I’d quite like to do the zipline but I’ll have to get one of the kids to do it with me. Howard can take photos!”