Segwaying into heritage

Hidden treasures of Devonport

Asegway ride around Auckland’s Devonport is the ideal combination of fun and discovery. On the wharf, I meet local Pauline, of Magic Broomstick Tours. I’m shown how to ride this marvellous, self-balancing machine (it’s so easy), then follow her on a cruise along the waterfront, pausing at the points of interest.

There are so many of them, and most I would go past without noticing, so the inside knowledge is invaluable. Then, we carry on skimming effortlessly up to the top of Maungauika-North Head for terrific views of the harbour and city, and the bonus of some wartime history.

We walk through some dark, echoing, hand-dug tunnels that thread through the hill to the gun pit, where Pauline tells me all about the big gun installed there against the threat of a Russian attack in the 1880s.

Why go?

Because nobody ever rode a Segway without a grin. Plus, you get to enjoy many of Devonport’s hidden treasures, which include, unexpectedly, a giraffe and a pair of concrete greyhounds.

Humming through the quiet back streets, between North Head and Mt Victoria, you’ll see beautiful villas, painstakingly restored, set in lovely gardens, and hear inside gossip about some of them.

Make a note to come back to the tearooms by the sea you go past, or the tempting French cafe and the cute museum inside an old church.

Mt Cumbria Reserve’s peaceful lawns offer a temptation to try the machine’s dizzying 18.5kmh top speed, before you wend back downhill again. Pause under a big po¯hutukawa to look for Bertie the cockatoo, pass lovely, renovated Elizabeth House (party central for the Wrens during World War II) and stop again under Old Albert, the Moreton Bay fig tree that’s more than a century old.

Musicians will enjoy tutting at the mistake on the nearby band rotunda surround, then it’s all over – and it’s guaranteed you won’t want to get off.

Insider tip

If you’re coming from the city, make life easy and take the ferry across the harbour.

Everything you will want to do in Devonport is within walking distance.

On the way/nearby

Allow plenty of time for a good look around Devonport’s shops, eateries and art galleries, plus its stylish library.

The playground, with its Bean Rock tower, is irresistible for children and, a stroll away along Torpedo Bay’s sandy beach, the Navy Museum is full of interest.

At the Information caravan on the wharf they’re happy to offer suggestions and advice.

How much?

Tours and prices range from $45.50 a person for a shorter ride, up to $130 each for the 21⁄2-hour Historic North Head option. Riders must be aged over 10 years. There are three daily tours in summer, two in winter, or by appointment.

Best time to go

Choose a fine day for maximum enjoyment and great views over the harbour. See magicbroomsticktours.co.nz.