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In fact, it's the number one focus of our team every day to ensure to the best of our ability the safety of our guests.
The Dart Valley is a beautiful and awe-inspiring place, yet with its dynamic weather and river conditions can be an inherently dangerous place as well. For this reason, safety on all our river experiences is paramount. We are very proud of our Safety Management Systems that we employ and continue to improve upon.
Our Safety Management Systems are externally and internally audited onsite several times a year, and we choose to use industry leaders to conduct these such as:
Qualmark
Qualmark is New Zealand tourism's official quality control agency. It licenses professional and trustworthy New Zealand tourism businesses to use 'the Qualmark' - tourism's official 'quality mark', only when the highest standards of operational excellence are met.
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) Jet Boat Operator Certificate (For our Jet Boat Experiences)
MNZ is New Zealand's government regulatory body responsible for ensuring the safe management of shipping and boating activities within New Zealand.
Dart River Jet Boating activities are audited by MNZ in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Safety of Jet Boats operating on rivers as prescribed within Appendix 1 of Part 82 of the Maritime Rules
AdventureMark (For our Funyaks Experience)
AdventureMark™ is a JAS-ANZ accredited and WorkSafe NZ approved Certification Body for its Blue AdventureMark™ Certification under the New Zealand Adventure Activities Certification Scheme. AdventureMark New Zealand has certified Dart River Funyaks to the following standards:
The Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016. This is a regulation administered by the government that all New Zealand adventure activities operators must hold.
We conduct ongoing self-assessments of our safety systems, boats, and our guiding team to ensure not just a safe experience, but a quality one.
If you require copies of our Health and Safety certifications these can be found here:
Certificate of Insurance 2024/25
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) Jet Boat Operator Certificate
AdventureMark Adventure Regulations audit
Jet Boating
Trainee drivers go through an extensive training programme of a minimum 120 hours before being audited and certified by a Maritime New Zealand auditor to attain a Commercial Jet Boat Operators License. All drivers hold a current DL9 Medical Certificate and are 1st aid trained.
Our senior drivers have thousands of hours of experience on the river, undertake daily river checks and provide expert guidance to the driving team on a daily basis.
Funyaks
New employees go through a thorough training / assessment programme. This takes several weeks before they start on their guiding journey mentored by our senior guiding team.
Our guides go through annual River Rescue training, are all fully trained in First Aid and carry comprehensive First Aid supplies with them on every trip.
Our guides either hold the New Zealand Rivers Association (NZRA) Grade 2 National Whitewater Guide Award or are working towards it.
Training, reviews and assessments are on-going for all staff no matter how long they have been in the business.
Our Funyak and Jet Boat experiences carry a degree of inherent risk; as such you need to be aware we cannot guarantee your safety. As with all adventure activities, there is an element of risk.
Dart River Adventures have been assessed to meet or exceed the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Safety of Jet Boats as prescribed within Part 82 of the Maritime Rules or
Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016. The Dart River is a dynamic natural environment that presents certain hazards including, but not limited to; fast moving water ways, river hazards, rockfall, windfall, heavy rainfall, cold exposure, flooding, uneven terrain, slips, trips, fall and sun exposure. Serious injury or death is a possibility therefore agreeing to participate is your personal decision.
Factors, such as heart conditions, abnormal blood pressure and joint conditions and a lack of physical fitness can affect capacity to safely take part in some of our experiences and in turn increase the possibility of sustaining an injury while participating in a trip.
If any of these medical conditions apply to you, please state them on the risk disclosure that will be supplied to you by our check in team. If you have any concerns about how your medical condition may affect your ability to participate in the trip, feel free to discuss with our team.
At Dart River Adventures, safety and well-being are top priorities, with high standards in place to minimize risks. While rare, serious accidents like water-related incidents and unexpected injuries can occur. Being in a remote location may delay emergency medical help. Weather changes can add challenges requiring extra precautions. Jet boat rides follow strict safety protocols, and transportation is secure. While activities are inclusive, certain health conditions may affect suitability. our operations are weather-dependent, with safety and environmental respect as key considerations.