Middle-earth Movie Magic

If the Shire is at the heart of Middle-earth, then the Waikato is at the heart of the Shire. When scouting around for settings for his epic three movie adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Kiwi director Peter Jackson found just what he was looking for in the green rolling paddocks, rugged limestone outcrops and underground caverns of the Waikato region.

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Hobbiton Movie Set

The bucolic setting for the Shire, home of the hobbits, including Bag End and the Party tree standing majestically over the lake, was right here nestled on a sheep farm near the Waikato town of Matamata, just waiting for Sir Peter Jacksons magical director’s touch.

Take a tour of Hobbiton

Visitors to Hobbiton Movie Set today can imagine Hobbits going about their everyday business, as the set was rebuilt in 2011 for the filming of the story that started it all, The Hobbit, and remains as a permanent set today.

Gain a first-hand insight into filming and the way things looked when shooting was in full swing and get up close with over 17 hobbit holes from the film including Bag End, Samwise Gamgee's house and more. More info.

Other filming locations

Other filming locations in the Waikato region include Weathertop Hollow from The Lord of The Rings trilogy, filmed near Port Waikato, Trollshaw forest filmed on rugged farm land near Piopio in Waitomo, and underground sounds recorded in the famous Waitomo Caves.

Read all about these filming locations and more Middle-earth like experience you can have in the Waikato region by navigating through the articles below.

Key Locations

Port Waikato
Where the mighty Waikato River meets the ocean, Port Waikato is a surfing hot spot in the summer months. Journey south along the coast to the Nikau caves and past the limestone outcrops in the surrounding hills which were the setting for Weathertop Hollow in The Lord of The Rings.
Hamilton
The region’s main city provided accommodation and entertainment for cast and crew during peak filming times and has since become home to the microbrewery, Good George, which supplies Hobbiton Movie Set’s exclusive brews – served straight from the barrel, only at The Green Dragon.
Waitomo
The underground playground of the Waitomo Caves is home to magical creatures and heart pumping adventures. Many locals opened their doors to accommodate cast and crew during filming, and cave sounds for the movies were recorded in several of the areas underground caverns.
Piopio
The Denize Bluffs, near Piopio in the Waikato region, were used for numerous scenes in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Matamata
Visit the friendly country town of Matamata, which played host to many of the cast and crew during filming. Dine at Workman’s café where cast and crew often ate after a long day of filming & take a picture next to the iconic Matamata isite Gatehouse.
Hobbiton Movie Set
In the heart of the Waikato countryside, quietly hidden behind green rolling hills, is a place unlike any other – Hobbiton Movie Set; the permanent set created for the The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies.