Matamata, New Zealand is not unlike many other country towns that dot the
verdant undulating countryside of the North Island, except for its reputation
for the breeding and training of champion racehorses and close proximity to
Hobbiton
When you enter the town and wander the streets you can't help notice a hobbit
hole entrance here, the odd orc or dwarf there, the occasional glimpse of
Sméagol and one or two hobbit images bobbing in the distance. The town
has gone some way to capture the Middle Earth feel by painting images and
characters on shop windows and walls; there is even an "official" jewellry
store where you can buy your "One" gold ring or that, long sought after, Elven
pendant. You can't miss the Tourist Office, it's exterior has been completely
designed to resemble a Hobbiton establishment with its vivid colouring, thatched
roof and round
doors.
Where to in Hobbiton
Over 14 years ago the Hobbit adventure started in this region of New Zealand
when the The Lord of the Rings was filmed. At the time, very few
people would have had any idea of the type of journey about to begin. It was a
massive operation.
Having deciding on a secluded valley in a nearby sheep and beef farm the film
crew moved in and it all began. At one stage the air space over this area was
restricted and any aircraft flying over-head was held at the airport on landing
until it was determined they had no "illegal" footage or images on board. Heavy
penalties applied if footage was discovered.
After filming of The Lord of the Rings concluded, and because of
contractual obligations, the sets were pretty much totally dismantled and little
evidence remained that a major film had been shot in the area. However,
following release of the movies, and their world-wide success, an increasing
number of tourists began to visit the area seeking out the Hobbiton
experience.
This time around, with the filming of The Hobbit trilogy, the sets for
Hobbiton were
built as a permanent fixture and clearly they are there for the long term.
One of the many Hobbit Holes
Our journey commenced with our departure by bus from the Tourist Centre in
Matamata. After an uneventful 15 minute drive to the Alexander farm we arrived
at our destination, a car park with the obligatory tourist souvenir shop, cafe,
restrooms and car park. Was this going to be as good as we were hoping, the
anticipation was building.
We boarded another bus, this one a rickety decades old 20 seater, with our
small group of Hobbiton travellers and our guide Harriette. After a short trip
down a gravel road, specially built by the New Zealand Army for the movie crew
to access the site, we arrive at our final destination.
After being given some basic information we walked down a path between two
small hills and entered the magical world of Middle-Earth. For a life long
Tolkien fan being confronted by a streetscape and vistas of Hobbit holes and
Hobbit gardens and a Hobbit orchard and fields was truly a magical moment. As
you extend your vision you see how this was the perfect place for Hobbiton:
green rolling hills of quiet solitude with not a road or power line or hint of
real world civilisation in sight.
As we followed our meandering path around Hobbiton, Harriette stopped at
various points to tell us stories, anecdotes and give us background on incidents
and events that occurred during filming of the series.
Bag End
We were told many stories, including that Peter Jackson is a stickler for
detail and insisted that the head on a beer had to be of the correct consistency
so that after filming Bilbo's 111th birthday party scene (which took many hours)
the actors would not be too far under the weather. To achieve this, a special
beer was brewed with an 1% alcohol content. It was named Sobering
Thought; how the fireworks scene that concluded Frodo's birthday party was
filmed; that the oak tree over Bag End was made of steel and fibreglass and how
the 10,000+ fake leaves, imported from Asia, were individually wired to the tree
and how the tops had to be hand painted green when they turned blue on reacting
with sunlight.
Although the Hobbit Holes built into the sides of the hills are just a
facade, the level of detail that has gone into what can be seen is simply
amazing. Front gardens with flowers and vines and Hobbit sized benches of rough
hewn timber; intricately designed brickwork and chimney stacks and stone paved
paths and steps; weathered picket fences coated in moss (an applied concoction
of ingredients to give the impression of aged wood); Hobbit sized windows with
lace curtains and with small utensils and bric-a-brac on the window sills. The
dwellings give a feeling of homeliness and comfort.
Hobbit holes of various sizes were built so that correct perspective and the
illusion of height and size between the tall Gandalf and the small Hobbits could
be achieved.
Our 90 minute tour took us past Bag End, the Hobbit Hole where Sam Gamgee and
Rosie Cotton were filmed with their children, the Party Tree, numerous other
Hobbit holes and gardens, over the Party Field, across the bridge leading to the
Green Dragon and ending at the Green Dragon with its barns and stables.
Samwise Gamgee & Rosie Cotton's Letterbox
As a tourist destination in it's own right it is not a Universal or Warner
Brothers Studio where thousands, of classic and ground breaking films have been
made over the decades or where actors of all eras have made their mark
and become household names for good or not-so-good reasons, nor is it a place
you'd go to for it's scenic wonder or historic significance.
If, however, you have grown up in awe of the wonders of Middle Earth and the
clash of good and evil as so majestically described by Tolkien in all his works,
or, you have more recently been introduced to the characters, lands and magic
through the power of Peter Jacksons' films, then, if you get the chance, this is
a place to visit.
Matamata is located approximately 160k south from Auckland or about two hours
by road. If travelling up from Rotorua then you're looking at an approximately
50k trip or 45 minutes by road.
Read our review of the movie The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey
