Segway tours can be found in many cities around the world but now you can zip through eucalypts with beach smells tickling your nose, stop to pat Australian wildlife or go ‘bushwalking’ on two wheels in Lamington National Park. Queensland was the first State in Australia to legalise these environmentally friendly people movers and there are plenty of great tours to choose from. 

O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat Segway tour

Bushwalking isn’t the only way to enjoy the natural beauty of Lamington National Park, a World Heritage listed wilderness area that is also home to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.

Riders on the eco-resort’s Segway tours can breathe in the sights, sounds and smells of a 23 million year old rainforest on a 90 minute trip to Moran’s Falls. Segways are virtually silent so nothing detracts from the beauty of the bird calls and bush sounds.

If your legs aren’t as young as they used to be but you still enjoy getting out and about in the great outdoors this tour is hard to beat. It’s just like a bushwalk on wheels.

Winding dirt tracks follow the terrain and there is a shallow creek crossing before the tour stops for a breathtaking view of the falls as seen from the exact spot where the O’Reilly family settled over 100 years ago.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Segway

With a maximum of four people the Segway Safari at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is virtually a private tour. The first trip of the day leaves at 10am and is an ideal way to orientate yourself with the layout of the park.

This historic tourist attraction is a lush oasis and a world away from the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast glitter strip. Tours travel at a leisurely pace and take in many of the sanctuary’s wildlife enclosures.

Special experiences like stopping to pat a dingo are easy to accommodate thanks to the small number of riders on these Segway tours. Sessions run for 50 minutes and include a 10 minute training session. Children between the ages of 10 and 17 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Novotel Twin Waters Resort Segway

If you like to live on the wild side this is the tour for you. Rollicking off-road Segway adventures at Novotel Twin Waters Resort begin with a training session that includes everything from a leisurely ride around some witch’s hats to hurtling in and out of a rocky ditch.

Special off-road tyres make this easier than it sounds and the adrenalin rush is a buzz. After such a thorough training session rolling over tree roots and avoiding goannas is a breeze.

Each tour travels along leaf strewn paths and winds through towering eucalypts before kicking up sand on the resort beach. Kangaroos are a common sight so leave a generous gap between riders. You never know what you might see on this eco-certified adventure.

Fraser Island Segway

It is hard to resist the urge to speed as you zoom along the pristine western beaches of Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world. Joyous whoops fill the air as riders push their machines to top speed before creating elaborate whirls in the sand with the wheels.

More than once the steering column pushes gently back against your chest as the in-built safety device provides a gentle reminder to slow down. Two different Segway tours are offered Kingfisher Bay Resort.

One goes for 60 minutes and is lead by a Ranger who shares their knowledge of the surrounding wilderness; the other is a Let Loose session which costs $30 for 30 minutes.

Staff members hand out safety gear, provide instruction on how to ride safely and remind everyone to watch out for scuttling crabs and other creatures – then riders are ‘let loose’ to whiz along the beach.

Moreton Island Segway

Moreton Island is home to Tangalooma Island Resort and the world’s highest coastal dune – Mount Tempest – which offers stunning views of the surrounding area.

Fortunately the Segway tours at Tangalooma skip the towering dune in favour of the beach. Don’t be surprised if you see girls in bikinis zipping up and down the sand as they try out their new-found skills.

It can get crowded near the swimming area in front of the resort so head towards Tangalooma’s famous wrecks and you will have the sand pretty much to yourself.

Families with naturally slender children over ten will appreciate this tour as junior riders can weigh in at 35kgs instead of the usual 45kg minimum required by most other operators. Tours run up to 6 times a day so there is little danger of missing out.

Queensland is home to three of the world’s largest sand islands. If you would like to know more, read our write up about Exploring the World’s Three Largest Sand Islands.