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    Hobbiton

    November 8, 2012 by Kat & Kyle 4 Comments

    Sam's House, Hobbiton

    Us in front of Sam’s House

    Earlier this week we drove through the farmlands near Matamata, New Zealand. This is cattle country, but with the green rolling hills, farmland, and forests it looks like Middle Earth. We turn a bend in the road, see the Welcome to Hobbiton sign, and know we’ve finally arrived at the Alexander Farm.

    Alexander Farm PanoramicThe Alexander farm is a small sheep farm, which is rare in this part of New Zealand, where cattle and dairy are king. There were roughly 14,000 sheep on 500 hectares the day we were there, which was just after lambing season.

    Peter Jackson discovered this place during an aerial search of the area, which he thought looked like Middle Earth. But, more importantly, the Alexander Farm had a huge pine tree perfectly situated next to a lake, and no modern power lines, roads, or buildings that could get in the way. That tree would become the party tree in Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema would build Hobbiton around it.

    The Party Tree, Hobbiton

    The Party Tree, with a view of the Green Dragon across the lake.

    Construction started in March 1999, when the New Zealand Army Engineers constructed a road into the site that could handle the heavy traffic and vehicles a movie shoot requires. Gardens and box hedges were planted and nurtured for months. 37 Hobbit Holes were constructed on the site from temporary materials. Filming started in December 1999 and continued for three months. And then they tore the entire thing down and left.

    But then Peter Jackson decided to film The Hobbit. So back to the Alexander Farm they went. The original set was reconstructed, and new sets were added, bringing the total number of Hobbit Holes to 45. And this time they built it all out of permanent materials. Once filming here was finished, New Line Cinema gave it all to The Alexanders and walked away.

    And the Alexanders have been running guided tours of the place ever since.  To say we were excited to be here is a major understatement. We were like geeky little nerds who had just received an early Christmas present.

    Hobbiton SignYou can’t see any of Hobbiton from the road, but the Alexanders have constructed a Shire Cafe and Gift Shop just off the road, along with a sheep experience. We wandered in and bought tickets for the first tour of the day. At 9:30, they loaded us onto a bus and drove us across the road and over the hills through the farm.

    We crested a hill and got our first glimpse of Hobbiton…a far off view of the Green Dragon and Mill. Suddenly we were parked and beginning our tour of Hobbiton.

    The tour is amazing. We thought we’d get to see a few hobbit holes, maybe get up close to a few. But the tour takes you along the paths of Hobbiton. You get to walk right up to the hobbit holes and other buildings. You get to stand in the hobbit hole doorways, take in the amazing gardens, and look at all the minute details that bring this little village to life.

    We spent a magical 90 minutes in Hobbiton, and when the time came to leave we didn’t want to. But second breakfast was calling to us from the Shire Cafe.

    Instead of writing more, I’ll let a few of our pictures speak for themselves. Peter Jackson has created a magical place here in the middle of the Alexander Farm. A place a hobbit would be proud to call home. Middle Earth and Hobbiton – they’re real!

    The Shire, Hobbiton

    The Shire

    Hobbit Hole

    Hobbit Hole with Sign

    Hobbit Hole, Yellow Door

    Bag End, Hobbiton

    Bag End, Home of Bilbo & Frodo – That tree on the top is a real tree that Peter Jackson saw in Matamata and thought was perfect. So they cut it down, numbered the pieces, reconstructed it on top of Bag End, and then leafed it out with faux leaves which are each individually wired on.

    Bag End, Hobbiton

    Bag End

    The Shire, Hobbiton

    Hobbiton Hobbit Hole

    Hobbit Hole, Hobbiton

    Green Dragon Sign

    Green Dragon, Hobbiton

    Mill at hobbiton

    Mill with functioning bridge that we got to walk over.

    Green Dragon, Hobbiton

    Hobbit Hole with Kat N Kyle

    Too quickly, our time in Hobbiton was done and it was time to return to the Shire Cafe, for Second Breakfast.

    Second Breakfast

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    Filed Under: Food, Happiness, New Zealand, road trip, Travel Tagged With: alexander farm, Bag End, elevensies, Hobbit Hole, Hobbit movie locations, Hobbiton, Lord of the Rings movie locations, LOTR, Matamata, Second Breakfast, The Green Dragon, The Hobbit, The Shire

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    Comments

    1. Trish says

      November 8, 2012 at 5:50 am

      Magical!!! And that’s a “proper” Second Breakfast! :0)

      Reply
    2. Royce says

      November 8, 2012 at 6:54 am

      So much fun!

      Reply
    3. Jason's Travels says

      November 8, 2012 at 3:01 pm

      Great stuff. I’ve really gotta get to the north island to see it. Mt. Sunday – Rohan, Helms Deep, etc. – on the south island was really amazing.

      Reply
      • Kat & Kyle says

        November 9, 2012 at 1:36 am

        Thanks, Jason! We’re really looking forward to the South Island as well. Two more weeks on the north and then we hop on the ferry. We’ll take a look at your suggestions!

        Reply

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