When I travel 'across the hill' (the Kaimai ranges) to Hamilton I go through the small country town of Matamata which is nestled near the hills, just 40 minutes from Tauranga.
It is a small town, pop about 6,000, with a wide main street with beautiful manicured gardens along the middle of the road. The town is surrounded by lush green farmland, and is a dairying area with also several racing thorough bred horse stud farms.
But Matamata's recent claim to fame is its link to the "Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Tucked away on a quiet dairy farm, the film set for the Hobbiton village was made and the filming took place over a period of time there.
Nowadays there is not much that remains of the film set, just a few 'hobbit holes' in the hillside, and the shell of the houses in the earth. See here and here for further information.
I generally stop for a coffee at one of the many cafes and sit and watch the tourists wandering around the town. Gollum is frequently photographed as well as the Information centre with its grass roof and hobbitlike decor.
6 comments:
What a lovely sounding place! I knew the film was made in NZ, but didn't know where. Thanks so much for the info!
Wow! I have lost count of the number of times I have read and watched LOTR. I love it. I once served Christopher Tolkein in our local record shop but didnt realise it until the manager took his cheque from the till and showed me his beautiful handwriting - real elvish style!
If I ever visit NZ I have to go there if there is anything left of it by then!
here on my birthday i view where those famous hobbits dug their earthpods
hey, there it is now longer my birthday>>>i just noticed the wrong date your silly post hit me with
BURMA SHAVE
Putz - ??
Was it your birthday yesterday?
We are a day ahead of you here - we can tell you what the weather is like so you can decide if it is worth getting out of bed!
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