Back to the Future fans have been waiting for a hoverboard for more than two decades and finally the future appears to have arrived - a year earlier than the movie promised.
The appearance of the gravity defying skateboard-like toy was one of the iconic images of the 1980s movie franchise.
Such was the interest in the device, rumours sparked by director Robert Zemekis long had many thinking the hoverboard seen in the movies was a real toy whose release had been banned or delayed.
While those rumours have since been debunked, attendees at this month's Gold Coast International Marine Expo will get the chance to see a hoverboard in action.
The device is the latest invention by French jetski racer Frank Zapata, following on from his Flyboard, a water-propelled jetpack which allows people to hover over and dive into water.
The hoverboard will be displayed during an extreme stunt show at the expo by Australian supplier Flyboard X.
Unlike the movie version, which all but stopped over water as Michael J Fox's character Marty McFly discovered at the worst possible moment, the real hoverboard actually needs water to power its jets and keep it airborne.
Flyboard X director Dale Jeffrey said the new product, which will cost $7690 to purchase complete kit, allows the user to combine the worlds of wakeboarding and flying.
"The hoverboard and the Flyboard tap the power of a personal watercraft (jet ski) via an 18m hose, which supplies a flow of water that is expelled through a single nozzle with enough energy to propel the rider through the air at adrenaline-pumping speeds and heights," says Mr Jeffery.
"The 18m of hose allows the companion jet ski rider to travel safely behind the hoverboard user, giving them enough space to safely glide through the air and perform some fancy tricks."
The hoverboard can reach speeds of up to 25km/h and allow users to soar up to five metres in the air depending on the power of the jet-ski it's attached to.
The three-day Gold Coast International Marine Expo begins on October 17.
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