It’s been over ten years since the very first Lord of the Rings movie hit theaters, and I’ve still not watched more than an hour of it (and that was on the plane to New Zealand just recently). But there’s no way I’d pass up a chance to visit Hobbiton, home to the Shire.

Allison and I didn’t actually plan to stop here until we realized just how close we were. So after touring the caves in Waitomo we detour back to Matamata and sign up for the next tour. Tickets are $75.

I’m going to present the rest of these photos without commentary primarily because I’m not well-versed in LOTR knowledge so I can’t properly identify every Hobbit hole. But at the very bottom I’ll detail some trivia from the tour. Enjoy the photos!

Trivia from the tour, as outlined in the tour pamphlet:

– In September 1998 Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema “discovered” the Alexander Farm during an aerial search for suitable film sites. The large established pine tree, later to become known as the Party Tree, was already perfectly placed in front of the lake. The surrounding rolling farmland was untouched by 20th century clutter such as roads, buildings, and power lines.

– Site construction started in March 1999, involving heavy machinery provided by the New Zealand army to build 1.5km of roads to the site. Total site construction took about 9 months. All activity was kept until strict security due to commercial restraints by the movie company.

– Barberry hedges and trees were brought in and gardens nurtured throughout winter.

– Thirty-seven hobbit holes were created.

– Mill and double arch bridge were built out of scaffolding, ply, and polystyrene — then glued and painted.

– Thatch on pub and mill roofs were cut from rushes around the Alexander Farm.

– 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.

– Artificial leaves were imported from Taiwan and individually wired to the tree.

– Generators were brought in to run base camp and the film equipment. Logistics of power, water, and sewage all had to be considered.

– Catered for up to 400 people per day — three meals.

– Filming commenced in December 1999 and continued for three months. At its peak 400 people were on site, including Peter Jackson, Sir Iam McKellen, Elijah Wood, Ian Holm, and Sean Astin.

Disclosure: Hobbiton gave me a percentage discount on the tour for writing this post. All opinions are my own.