What could be more fun than hurtling down a 130 metre mudslide?
Very little, according to the 10,000 people a year lucky enough to do it in Opotiki thanks to the efforts of community work offenders serving sentences in the district.
For the past two summers local residents and visitors to the area have been heading to a nearby farm to plough themselves into mud, glorious mud, in what has become the highlight of the Opotiki District Council's six-week, summertime "Fun Unplugged" programme.
The Opotiki Coast Mega Mudslide is one of the best known projects undertaken by Opotiki offenders serving Community Work sentences.
The project began two years ago with an earth-moving machine digging out a deep channel running the length of the hill.
Opotiki Probation Officer Paki (Graeme) Riesterer says from then on offenders assigned to the project carted in trailer
loads of mud which they plastered and compacted on the channel to make it slippery while also ensuring it would be safe for all ages.
The mudslide sits on private land gifted by a farmer to the Opotiki District Council for "Fun Unplugged" - a summertime programme designed to entertain and challenge in equal measure.
The mudslide has been an ambitious project that included landscaping and tidying up work in and around the site.
Offenders have also assisted with painting a storage shed, building a fence and cutting steps and tracks up and down the hill.
Opotiki District Council Corporate Services Manager Donna Adlam says the assistance provided by the Community Work scheme has been valuable.
"It's a project well loved by the community and everyone who has worked on it has really got into the spirit of it," says Donna.
"Offenders assigned to the mudslide see people having fun and they're proud of the fact they've contributed to that.
"We're delighted that Community Work supervisors in the area have indicated they will continue to provide workers to maintain the site. It's hard to find volunteers on a long-term basis, and access to the Corrections' workers means we can keep this wonderful activity going for the people of Opotiki."
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Email commdesk@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 460 3365.
Community Works is published quarterly by the Department of Corrections. Contact details for Community Probation & Psychological Services can be found here or by looking under C for Corrections in the Government listings of the Telecom White Pages.
ISSN 1178-1327