Hobbiton, the Hobbit village

Hobbiton history

When Peter Jackson spotted the Alexander Farm during an aerial search of the North Island for the best possible locations to film The Lord of The Rings film trilogy, he immediately thought it was perfect for Hobbiton. Nevertheless, a lot of work was still needed to be completed before it was up to the director’s high standards.
Alexander Far is a 13,000 sheep and 300 Angus beef cattle on a 1250 acre (500 hectare) property. The Alexander brothers shear all the sheep on the property themselves, approximately every eight months.

Site construction started in March 1999 and filming commenced in December that year, continuing for three months. After what they had everything they needed for the 3 movies.

The New Zealand Army was contracted to build 1.5 km of road into the site and the initial set development. Barberry hedges and trees were brought in and gardens were nurtured throughout winter. Thirty-seven hobbit holes were created with untreated timber, ply and polystyrene. The Mill and double arch bridge were built out of scaffolding, ply and polystyrene, then glued and painted. Thatch on the pub and mill roofs was cut from rushes around the Alexander farm.
The oak tree overlooking Bag End was cut down and brought in from near Matamata. Each branch was numbered and chopped, then transported and bolted together on top of Bag End (weighing 26 tonne). Then artificial leaves were imported from Taiwan and individually wired onto the dead tree.

During the filming, Catering was organised for up to 400 people a day, with three 2-course meals required for all of the cast and crew.

After the filming, the site was destructed. Indeed, the contract with Alexander Farm obliged the crew to put everything back in the original state. It’s when some fans founded the place of the Shire and asked if there were something left to see, that the idea of organising some tours poped.

But it’s in 2011 when Peter Jackson start the Hobbit trilogy, that everything changed. 
The set was rebuilt permanently and the tree up to Bag End, which falled since then, was replaced by a plastic and metallic one.
50% of the holes are build at 50% of human size to make Gandalf look tall. The others are 90% of a human size. Though to be a Hobbit, you must be 1,58m high max ! All the holes are fake, inside it’s just a storage room full of umbrella, and with an electric system for the lights outside. Every scenes inside the holes was made in studios.

Since, 150 000 visitors come every years, and 45% never saw the movies or read the books. When asked, they answer they come because someone they know asked them, or just to make some friends jealous.

Hobbit Movie Set Tour :

Guided tour only. One beer offered at the Green Dragon Pub.
75$/person with the bus from Matamata
110$/person ewith the bus from Rotorua.
You can drive your own car to the entry, but from there you must jump in the bus. The price is the same than coming with the bus from Matamata.