Why was Matamata chosen for Hobbiton?

Peter Jackson's location scouts flew over New Zealand in a helicopter searching for farmland that looked like Tolkien's Shire — rolling green hills, a single large oak tree, a pond. They found the Alexander family's farm near Matamata in 1998. The family had been farming the land for over 80 years and agreed to host the production. The Waikato's mild climate and lush pasture keep the land green year-round, which was essential for filming continuity.

What happened to the set after Lord of the Rings was filmed?

The original LOTR set (1999–2000) was largely torn down after filming and only a few structures remained. When Peter Jackson returned for The Hobbit in 2011, the decision was made to rebuild in permanent materials — concrete, steel, and timber — so the set would last. After filming wrapped in 2012, the Alexander family and the production kept the set open as a permanent attraction. It has been open to visitors ever since and hosts around 600,000 people per year.

Are there 44 hobbit holes at Hobbiton?

Yes. The set contains 44 hobbit holes of varying sizes — some are full scale and some are built smaller to create a forced-perspective effect used in filming. Most are facades, but since late 2023 two holes on Bagshot Row have been fully furnished interiors that visitors walk through on every standard tour.

Is the Green Dragon a real pub?

Yes. The Green Dragon Inn at Hobbiton is a fully operational bar built in the style of the film set, with a thatched roof, stone fireplace, and its own range of Southfarthing ales brewed exclusively for the venue. One drink is included with every standard tour. The Evening Banquet and Breakfast tours include a full meal at the Green Dragon on set.

Can you visit Hobbiton independently without a tour?

No. The set is on private farmland and all visits are guided. Tours depart from The Shire's Rest visitor centre at 501 Buckland Road, Matamata, and travel to the set by coach. You cannot drive onto the farm. Tickets must be booked in advance, especially in peak season (November–March), when morning slots sell out weeks ahead.

Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata: How a Waikato Farm Became the Shire

In 1998 a New Zealand Air Force pilot flew Peter Jackson's location scouts over the Waikato plains south of Matamata. Below them, on a 1,250-acre sheep and cattle farm, was a landscape straight from a Tolkien illustration — rolling green hills, a single large oak, and a natural pond. It was exactly what they needed. The Alexander family agreed to host the production. What followed was one of the most sustained film-set transformations in cinema history, and the reason that a working farm near a town of 8,000 people now attracts around 600,000 visitors a year.

Building the Shire: 1999 and 2011

The Lord of the Rings construction (1999)

Matamata, Waikato North Island

The New Zealand Army helped build the original Hobbiton for Lord of the Rings, constructing roads and levelling the site before the production team arrived. Seventeen hobbit holes were built around the main area, with additional facades scattered across the hillside for wide shots. The oak tree — not quite right in size and shape — was replaced with an artificial tree for filming and later removed. When production ended in 2000, the set was largely dismantled as planned. A few timber structures remained, and the Alexander family began offering informal farm tours to curious visitors.

The Hobbit rebuild (2011): permanent this time

44 hobbit holes 12-acre set

When Peter Jackson returned to the Waikato for The Hobbit trilogy, the decision was different. This time the set would be built in permanent materials — concrete, steel, and hardwood — and left standing after filming. The 12-acre Hobbiton set grew to 44 hobbit holes, a fully constructed Green Dragon Inn, a working mill, a double-arch stone bridge, and a new oak tree created by a specialist effects company using 250,000 individual artificial leaves. The vegetable gardens, flower beds, and hedgerows are maintained by a full-time team of gardeners who tend the set year-round.

What Makes It Work

Scale and forced perspective

Multiple sizes Film technique

Not all 44 hobbit holes are the same size. Some are built at full scale for close-up filming with actors; others are built smaller to make characters appear larger or smaller when filmed from a distance. The technique is called forced perspective and it's the same trick used on the sets of all six Middle-earth films. Walking through the set, you can spot the size differences once you know to look for them — some doors reach your shoulder, others barely your hip.

The Green Dragon Inn

Fully operational bar Southfarthing ales

Built for visitors after filming, the Green Dragon is a working pub with thatched roof, exposed timber beams, an open fireplace, and Tolkien-inspired ales brewed exclusively for Hobbiton under the Southfarthing label. Every standard tour includes one drink at the bar. The pub isn't just a set piece — it's a genuine hospitality venue, and on evening banquet tours the entire set is lit with lanterns while guests eat a feast inside.

Practical note: Hobbiton is on private farmland — you cannot drive onto the property. All tours depart from The Shire's Rest on Buckland Road. Morning slots (from around 9am) offer the best light and smallest groups. In summer, book at least two to three weeks ahead; the set sells out daily.

The Farm Itself

The Alexanders still run the farm around the set. Sheep and cattle graze the paddocks visible from the tour route. The contrast between working farmland and meticulously groomed movie set — real animals grazing near painted fences and planted roses — is part of what makes Hobbiton feel grounded rather than theme-park artificial. The Shire always was a pastoral fantasy, and it sits in one of New Zealand's most productive agricultural landscapes.

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