Sandra Northey, 52, has just returned from New Zealand where she learned the art of the hybrid sport that combines small-wing paragliding and skiing.

Both a skier and skydiver, Ms Northey said speed riding was a natural extension of these pursuits.

When the rider reaches 140km/h, the speed wing lifts the skier airborne until touching down on the snow.

“I love the speed and getting off the ground is a nice rush,” she said.

“I want to build on those skills at next year’s camp with the goal to go speed riding in Chamonix in France next year or the year after.”

Having learned skiing and skydiving only about five years ago, Ms Northey said she always had an adventurous spirit and gained scuba diving and private pilot’s licences before having her children, Jerrome, Jackie and Daniel.

“As a kid I was always climbing trees and jumping off sheds,” she said.

“At 18 I got my scuba diving licence and took flying lessons but I slowed down a bit when I had my kids.”

The Wodonga conveyancing specialist already has 1100 skydives under her belt.

“Weather-permitting I have a wing-suit hot air balloon jump at Pakenham tomorrow,” she said on Friday.

“Anything that involves flying, I just like to have a go at it!”

Belgian-born Ms Northey, who migrated to Australia aged seven and has lived on the Border for two decades, said it was never too late to learn something new and live life to the full.

“You do see people trying adventurous things in their eighties,” she said.

“As long as I keep fit and healthy I’ll keep doing it.”

Together with daughter Jackie, who has a son Deekyn, 5, Ms Northey also tried her hand at rock-climbing earlier in 2016.

“I like setting goals - it keeps life interesting. Too many people as they get older take up a daily existence waiting to die,” she said.

Ms Northey has booked a base jumping course in Switzerland in June 2017.

“We’ll do 40-something jumps from bridges and cliffs over the 10-day course,” she said.

“When you’ve got good instructors and good equipment, it’s very safe.

“People say it’s so dangerous, but they’re often the ones texting while driving!”