Devonport's world-famous Magic Broomstick Segway Tours has boosted it's fleet to seven Segway Personal Transporters (PTs). This summer season is proving the busiest yet in the company's near-six year history of operating at one of the most picturesque locations in Auckland. The nautical township is built around three extinct volcanos, and tour routes can include a visit to abandoned military tunnels and gun emplacements, views of the NZ Navy base, and a ride to the top of Mount Victoria where the Disappearing Gun resides and from where the best 360-degree views of the city can be enjoyed. Segway Tours have been part of the New Zealand tourism sector since 2006, when Kevin Hey launched Segway on Q in Queenstown and BodyElectric got underway along the waterfront in Wellington. Today there are also Segway Tours operating in Lake Tekapo, Nelson, Rotorua and Whangarei. Over in Australia, Segway Tours along footpaths have begun just recently, but Brisbane already has its sights set on becoming famous for its Segway Tours, according to The Courier Mail:

FORGET the Windy City or the Big Apple - Brisbane could soon be known as the Segway City, with more than 700 people rolling up for rides every month.

And the bizarre two-wheeled machines could be the shot of adrenalin that revitalises Brisbane's tourism industry. Kangaroo Point centre Riverlife, which offers Segway tours in Brisbane, has sold more than 3000 online vouchers for Segwy tours since the machines were legalised for footpath and bikeway use in Queensland on August 1 last year - the first state to give them a green light. And almost 1000 people have booked Segway tours after walking in to the Kangaroo Point centre. Riverlife owner John Sharpe said Segway rides appealed to people who'd "tried most other activities". "They're looking for something new," he said. Mr Sharpe said Segway vouchers were a huge stocking filler Christmas present last month and it was a "real, add-on boost to our business". But despite public concerns over collisions, Mr Sharpe said his tours were relatively incident-free. "A lot of people said we'd be running into bikes and people would be falling off Segways, but that really hasn't happened," he said. "That's because of the time teaching people how to use them. They're easier to ride than bikes or rollerblades or anything like that." Mr Sharpe a couple of people had fallen off Segways and received a "sore arm", but there'd been no serious injuries. Premier Campbell Newman said Queensland's tourism industry had boomed over the past two months. "And if you don't believe me, ask John Sharpe here from Riverlife, who has seen a good increase in his business - the best Christmas period he's ever had," Mr Newman said