Hobbiton Movie Set - Wikipedia

Movie Set / Tourist Attraction in Waikato, New Zealand

Hobbiton
Movie Set / Tourist Attraction
A small Waterhouse opposite to the Green Dragon Inn
HobbitonHobbiton's location within New ZealandShow map of New ZealandHobbitonHobbiton (North Island)Show map of North Island
Coordinates: 37°51′27″S 175°40′47″E / 37.85750°S 175.67972°E / -37.85750; 175.67972
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato
Territorial authority	Matamata-Piako District

The Hobbiton Movie Set[1] is a significant location used for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit film trilogy, serving as a stand-in for the town of Hobbiton in the Shire in both trilogies. It is situated on a family-run farm about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of Hinuera and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) southwest of Matamata, in Waikato, New Zealand, and is now a Tolkien tourism destination, offering a guided tour of the set.

Pre-film set history

[edit]

The geology of the area is that of the Hinuera Formation, a group of alluvial silts, sands and gravels laid down in the Last Glacial Period.[2] Originally largely marshland, it was transformed in the 19th century by a large-scale drainage scheme and is now fertile agricultural land and a major racehorse breeding area.[3]

The Alexander family moved to the 500-hectare (1,200-acre) property of rolling grassland where the set is located in 1978. Since then it has been a livestock farm with 13,000 sheep and 300 Angus beef cattle. The main sources of income from farming are mutton, wool and beef.[3][4]

The Lord of the Rings

[edit]

When director Peter Jackson began to look for suitable locations for The Lord of the Rings film series,[5] he first saw the Alexander Farm during an aerial search[4] in 1998[6] and concluded that the area was "like a slice of ancient England".[5] Set Decorator Alan Lee commented that the location's hills "looked as though Hobbits had already begun excavations".[7] Part of the site has a lake with a long arm that could double as a river.[7]

After suitable negotiations with the owners, work commenced in transforming part of the farm into sets for Hobbiton and other parts of J. R. R. Tolkien's Shire in March 1999.[4] The New Zealand Army brought in heavy equipment to make 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) of road into the site from the nearest local road and initial ground works. Further work included building the facades for 37 hobbit holes and associated gardens and hedges, a mill and double arch bridge, and erecting a 26-tonne (29-ton) oak above Bag End that was cut down near Matamata and recreated on site, complete with artificial leaves. Thatch on the pub and mill roofs was made from rushes growing on the farm. Generators were installed and water and sewage also had to be considered. Catering was made available for up to 400 cast, crew and visitors per day.[2][4]

Jackson wrote: "I knew Hobbiton needed to be warm, comfortable and feel lived in. By letting the weeds grow through the cracks and establishing hedges and little gardens a year before filming, we ended up with an incredibly real place, not just a film set".[5] Lee commented that "it was satisfying to see that it had taken on something of the look of the Devonshire countryside I'd lived in for the past twenty-five years".[7]

Ian Alexander, the property owner, had initially been told that after filming, Hobbiton was to be removed, and the area completely restored back to its original farmland. [8] After filming, the production crew returned to the site and pulled down much of the Hobbiton set. Many of the Hobbit Holes were filled with soil and covered over. However, because of heavy rain, 18 of the 37 Hobbit Holes were left untouched, with plans for the film crew to return after the rains and destroy all of them. The Alexander Family then made a deal with the Production company to save the remainder of the Hobbiton and to allow for organised visits for the public. [9]

Filming The Hobbit

[edit]

The original set was not built to last, the hobbit hole facades having been constructed from untreated timber, ply and polystyrene and partially torn down after filming.[10] In 2010, the set was rebuilt in a more permanent fashion for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,[6][11] filming for which began in 2011.[12] Ian McKellen reprised his role as Gandalf the Grey and was joined on the Hobbiton location by Martin Freeman, who remarked that the site "just looked like a place where people lived and where people worked".[6]

Visitor centre

[edit]

Guided tours of the 5.5 hectares (14 acres) movie set site commenced in 2002[13] and continue to be provided daily. [2][13][14]

Highlights of the tour include Bagshot Row, the Party Tree, and Bilbo's Bag End home. There are now 44 hobbit holes on view[13][15] although it is only possible to enter a few of them, some of which have small, unfinished, earth-walled interiors and some are fully furnished hobbit hole interiors opened as of the 1st of December 2024.[16] (The interior of Bag End was shot in a studio in Wellington).[17] The hobbit holes on site have been designed and built to one of three different scales. In addition to the smallest ones built to the correct size (hobbits are smaller than humans), some are built to a larger scale to make the hobbit actors appear smaller, and some have been constructed in a "dwarf" scale for scenes containing dwarves. Apart from a few exceptions, the colour of the front door indicates the scale, for example hobbit holes with a blue door are built to the correct scale for humans.

Refreshments are available at "The Shires Rest Cafe" prior to or after tours. Breakfast and "Second Breakfast" is served.[18] In 2012 the "Green Dragon" inn (a replica of the Green Dragon that featured in The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies) was opened on the set.[19] There is now also a store selling merchandise and souvenirs adjacent to the cafe and evening events commenced in 2014. The tours have generally received good reviews.[20][21] In 2013 the set welcomed its 500,000th guest.[13][1]

Tourism has had a large effect on the nearest town, Matamata, where the tour buses depart from. The influx of tourists has turned the town into a major tourist attraction, with many cafes and bars opening up to accommodate tourists. This has provided employment for the local townspeople. [22]

In December 2023 new holes were opened to the public, which took nine months to complete.[23]

• Peter Jackson said of the set, "It felt as if you could open the circular green door of Bag End and find Bilbo Baggins inside".[5]
• Hobbit holes overlooking the lake on the set
• Hobbiton mill and double-arched bridge
• Interior of the Green Dragon inn

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Home". Hobbiton Movie Set Tours. Retrieved 24 January 2015
2. ^ a b c Brodie (2004) p. 33
3. ^ a b Brodie (2004) p. 32
4. ^ a b c d "About Us" Archived 24 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Hobbiton Movie Set Tours. Retrieved 24 January 2015
5. ^ a b c d Brodie (2004) Foreword
6. ^ a b c New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth. (19 Mar 2013). Go New Zealand. (Available on YouTube).
7. ^ a b c Brodie (2004) p. 19
8. ^ Fishwick, Jim (15 December 2021). "How The Lord of the Rings' Hobbiton changed life in Matamata, New Zealand". Polygon. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
9. ^ Huffstutter, P. J. (24 October 2003). "Not Just a Tolkien Amount". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
10. ^ "Our Story". Hobbiton Movie Set. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
11. ^ "The Hobbit Trilogy filming locations". Go New Zealand. Retrieved 25 January 2015
12. ^ Trumbore, Dave (20 March 2011). "Production Officially Begins on Peter Jackson's ''The Hobbit; Plus Two New Images and the Official Synopsis". Collider. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
13. ^ a b c d [1] "Experiences". Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours. Retrieved 7 May 2025
14. ^ "Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours" Tourism New Zealand. Retrieved 24 January 2015
15. ^ "Hobbiton Express Tour from Auckland". Go New Zealand. Retrieved 24 January 2015
16. ^ "FAQ" Archived 20 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Hobbiton Movie Set Tours. Retrieved 25 January 2015
17. ^ Roberts, Susan (2 October 2014) "A Day at Hobbiton". The Scribbling Scribes. Retrieved 26 January 2015
18. ^ "The Shires Rest Cafe" Archived 20 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Hobbiton Movie Set Tours. Retrieved 24 January 2015
19. ^ Hawes, Rexine; Bain, Mike (13 February 2017). "Hobbiton movie set could continue to attract new generations of tourists". Stuff. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
20. ^ Rawlings-Way et al (2008) p. 50
21. ^ "A Tolkien fan's paradise - Review of Hobbiton Movie Set, Hinuera, New Zealand". Tripadvisor.
22. ^ Fishwick, Jim (15 December 2021). "How The Lord of the Rings' Hobbiton changed life in Matamata, New Zealand". Polygon. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
23. ^ "An inside look at the new attraction opening at Hobbiton". 1 News. Retrieved 3 December 2023.

Bibliography

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hobbiton Movie Set.

• Ian Brodie (2004) The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook. (Extended Edition). HarperCollins. Auckland.
• Charles Rawlings-Way, Brett Atkinson, Sarah Bennett, Peter Dragicevich and Errol Hunt (2008) Lonely Planet New Zealand. Lonely Planet. Melbourne.

v t e Tolkien tourism destinations
Peter Jacksonfilm locations(New Zealand)	North Island Waikato Hobbiton Movie Set The Shire Mount Ngauruhoe Mount Doom Manawatū-Whanganui Mangawhero River Ithilien Mount Ruapehu Gates of Mordor Rangipo Desert Gates of Mordor Rangitīkei River River Anduin Tongariro National Park Emyn Muil Whakapapa skifield Mordor Wellington Kaitoke Regional Park Rivendell and the Fords of Isen Mount Victoria Escaping the Shire and Dunharrow Pūtangirua Pinnacles Dimholt Road Wētā Workshop South Island Nelson Mount Olympus, Kahurangi National Park Outcrop south of Rivendell Tākaka Hill Chetwood Tasman Mount Owen Dimrill Dale Canterbury Mount Sunday, Mount Potts station Edoras Twizel Pelennor Fields Otago Dart River / Te Awa Whakatipu Isengard, Lothlórien and Amon Hen Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge The Argonath Mount Aspiring National Park Isengard Skippers Canyon Ford of Bruinen The Remarkables Misty Mountains Twelve Mile Delta, Queenstown Ithilien camp Westland Mount Gunn, Franz Josef Glacier Ered Nimrais Southland Kepler Mire Dead Marshes Mavora Lakes Nen Hithoel, Fangorn, Silverlode River and River Anduin Snowdon Forest Fangorn Waiau River River Anduin
J. R. R. Tolkienlocations(Europe)	United Kingdom Oxford The Eagle and Child Exeter College Merton College Pembroke College Northmoor Road Wolvercote Cemetery Birmingham Birmingham Oratory Sarehole Mill Worcestershire Malvern Hills Switzerland Jenins Lauterbrunnen
See also Tolkien Societies Tolkien fandom

v t e Middle-earth film franchise
Middle-earth in motion pictures
The Lord of the Ringsfilm trilogy	Films The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) The Two Towers (2002) The Return of the King (2003) Music Soundtracks The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) The Two Towers (2002) The Return of the King (2003) Songs "Concerning Hobbits" ("They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard") "In Dreams" "May It Be" "Requiem for a Tower" "A Walking Song" "Into the West" Production Peter Jackson's interpretation Original characters (Figwit) Accolades The Exhibition The Long and Short of It
The Hobbitfilm trilogy	Films An Unexpected Journey (2012) The Desolation of Smaug (2013) The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) Soundtracks An Unexpected Journey (2012) The Desolation of Smaug (2013) The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) Production Original characters Tauriel Music "I See Fire" Accolades
Other films	The War of the Rohirrim (2024)
Video games	The Two Towers The Return of the King The Third Age Game Boy Advance The Battle for Middle-earth Tactics The Battle for Middle-earth II The Rise of the Witch-king Conquest Aragorn's Quest War in the North Lego The Lord of the Rings Guardians of Middle-earth Lego The Hobbit Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Category

v t e Middle-earth in motion pictures
Middle-earth Enterprises
Animation	Short film The Hobbit (1967) Films The Hobbit (1977) The Lord of the Rings (1978) The Return of the King (1980) The War of the Rohirrim (2024)
Live-action	PeterJacksonfilmseries The Lordof the Rings Films The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) The Two Towers (2002) The Return of the King (2003) Aspects Accolades Peter Jackson's interpretation Music Production The Hobbit Films An Unexpected Journey (2012) The Desolation of Smaug (2013) The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) Aspects Accolades Original characters Music Television TV films Sagan om ringen (1971) The Hobbit (1985) Khraniteli (1991) Series Hobitit (1993) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022–present) music Fan films The Hunt for Gollum (2009) Born of Hope (2009)
Category

v t e The Lord of the Rings
J. R. R. Tolkien Constructing The Lord of the Rings
About	Volumes The Fellowship of the Ring The Two Towers The Return of the King Stories "The Shadow of the Past" "The Council of Elrond" "The Scouring of the Shire" "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen" Translating list Swedish Reception Impact Literary Fandom Fan fiction Oxonmoot Tolkienmoot Works inspired Tolkien's impact on fantasy Annotation A Reader's Companion
Elements	Languages Black Speech Elvish Quenya Sindarin Khuzdul Westron Poetry A Elbereth Gilthoniel Namárië Song of Eärendil The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late The Road Goes Ever On A Walking Song Other Artwork Family trees Heraldry Maps Proverbs Scripts Cirth Tengwar
Analysis	Themes Addiction to power Ancestry as guide to character Architecture Company of the Ring Death and immortality Decline and fall Divination Dreams and visions Economy England Environmentalism Evil Feudal allegiance Forests Geology Hell Heroism Luck and fate Magic Mental illness Moral dilemma Music Naming of weapons Northern courage Paganism Plants Prophecy Psychological journeys Quests Race Sexuality Sound and language Time Trees Women Influences Antiquarianism Beowulf Celtic Christianity Classical world Edwardian adventure stories First World War Norse Medieval Modern sources Modernism William Morris A mythology for England Philology Shakespeare Techniques Anachronism Character pairing Editorial framing Frame stories Pseudotranslation Impression of depth Narrative structure Interlacing Storytelling Prose style Ambiguity Epic Pooh
Peoples	Maiar Balrogs Sauron Wizards Gandalf Radagast Saruman Freepeoples Dwarves Balin Gimli Elves Galadriel Glorfindel Half-elven Arwen Elrond Legolas Thranduil Ents Treebeard Hobbits Bilbo Frodo Merry Pippin Sam Men Beornings Drúedain Dúnedain Aragorn of Gondor Boromir Denethor Faramir of Rohan Éomer Éowyn Théoden Wormtongue Monsters Barrow-wight Gollum Nazgûl Witch-king of Angmar Old Man Willow Orcs Shelob Trolls Wargs Watcher in the Water Other Eagles Goldberry Tom Bombadil
World	Geography Middle-earth Eriador Bree Old Forest Rivendell The Shire Bag End Gondor Minas Tirith Harad Lothlórien Mirkwood Moria Mordor Rohan Isengard Undying Lands Battles Helm's Deep Pelennor Fields Morannon Things Mithril Oliphaunts Palantírs Phial of Galadriel Rings of Power One Ring List of weapons and armour
Relatedworks	The Hobbit The Adventures of Tom Bombadil Errantry Fastitocalon The Sea-Bell Donald Swann The Road Goes Ever On Bilbo's Last Song The Silmarillion Unfinished Tales The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien The History of Middle-earth The Children of Húrin The History of The Hobbit Beren and Lúthien The Fall of Gondolin The Nature of Middle-earth
Adaptations and derivative works Books Bored of the Rings (1969) The Last Ringbearer (1999) Muddle Earth (2003) Illustrations A Map of Middle-earth Pauline Baynes Barbara Remington John Howe Alan Lee Margrethe II of Denmark Ted Nasmith Theatre Fellowship! (2005) The Lord of the Rings (2006) Music Bo Hansson Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings (1972) Johan de Meij Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings (1988) Led Zeppelin "Ramble On" (1969) "Misty Mountain Hop" (1971) "The Battle of Evermore" (1971) Radio The Lord of the Rings (BBC, 1955) The Lord of the Rings (NPR, 1979) Hordes of the Things (1980) The Lord of the Rings (BBC, 1981) Der Herr der Ringe (1992) Film Animated The Lord of the Rings (Bakshi, 1978) The Return of the King (Rankin/Bass, 1980) The War of the Rohirrim (Kamiyama, 2024) Peter Jacksonseries The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) The Two Towers (2002) The Return of the King (2003) Music "Concerning Hobbits" "Into the West" "May It Be" Approach Production Hobbiton Movie Set Peter Jackson's interpretation Picturing Tolkien Tolkien on Film Other Sagan om ringen (1971) Khraniteli (1991) Hobitit (1993) The Rings of Power (2022) music Fan-made The Hunt for Gollum (2009) Born of Hope (2009) Video games Journey to Rivendell Game One Game Two: Shadows of Mordor War in Middle Earth Vol. I (1990) Vol. I (SNES) Riders of Rohan Elendor Vol. II: The Two Towers The Fellowship of the Ring The Two Towers The Return of the King War of the Ring The Third Age Game Boy Advance The Battle for Middle-earth Tactics The Battle for Middle-earth II The Rise of the Witch-king Conquest Aragorn's Quest War in the North Lego The Lord of the Rings Guardians of Middle-earth Shadow of Mordor Shadow of War Gollum Return to Moria The Lord of the Rings Online Mines of Moria Siege of Mirkwood Rise of Isengard Riders of Rohan Helm's Deep Mordor Minas Morgul War of Three Peaks Fate of Gundabad Before the Shadow Tabletop role-playing games Middle-earth Role Playing The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game The One Ring Roleplaying Game Adventures in Middle-earth Board games Middle Earth War of the Ring Gondor: The Siege of Minas Tirith Sauron Lord of the Rings War of the Ring Card games Middle-earth Collectible Card Game The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game Other games Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Lego The Lord of the Rings

v t e Matamata-Piako District, New Zealand
Seat: Te Aroha
Populated places	Matamata Ward Hinuera Matamata Okauia Te Poi Waharoa Walton Morrinsville Ward Kiwitahi Mangateparu Morrinsville Motumaoho Tahuna Tatuanui Te Aroha Ward Manawaru Ngarua Springdale Te Aroha Waihou Waitoa
Geographic features	Kaimai Range
Facilities and attractions	Hobbiton Movie Set Matamata Airport Morrinsville Recreation Ground Piako County Tramway Piako railway station Rukumoana Marae Tui mine
Government	District Council Mayor Regional Council
Organisations	Matamata College Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu
Sport	Matamata Swifts (soccer)