Lord of the Rings

New Zealand was the setting for the most ambitious film project in history - the adaption of J.R.R. Tokien's Lord of the Rings. Kiwi director Peter Jackson used New Zealand's lush and varied landscape to re-create Middle Earth's forests, mountains, countryside and volcanoes. Jackson's special effects company, Weta, based in Wellington, then enhanced these landscapes and created other environments entirely as 3D virtual experiences.

Many Lord of the Rings locations were "dressed" for their parts—buildings and facades were added to sites, trees were sprayed with silver paint. All that is long gone, but what is left is epic enough. Most of the filming was concentrated in two places: 13 locations at the southern end of the North Island and 10 in the highlands of the South Island.

North Island
Matamata, a small rural New Zealand dairy-farming town in the Waikato area became Hobbiton for the film. You cannot visit Hobbiton itself, as it was located on a private farm which is not accessible to the public. But you can certainly soak up the rolling green hills and pastoral landscape or experience the agricultural lifestyle at the heart of the New Zealand economy.

Tongariro National Park  (a 2 hour drive from Hawke’s Bay & Napier) was used for a range of The Lord of the Rings locations including Mordor and the slopes of Mt Doom. Tongariro National Park is a World Heritage site, enclosing three volcanoes, Mt Ruapehu (still active), Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe (depicted as Mount Doom). Whakapapa ski field on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu was also used for various scenes.

Kaitoke Regional Park, Fernside, Featherston, and the Hutt Valley, just north of Wellington, became Rivendell and the River Anduin, Outer Shire, Ferry Lane, Trollshaw Forest, Weathertop Hillside and Bree streets.

Wellington Region, home of director Peter Jackson, and the base for filming of The Lord of the Rings, was widely used including the woods of central Mt Victoria through to Fort Dorset in seaside Seatoun that became Bree. Wellington premiered the first New Zealand screening of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring at the Embassy Theatre. Red carpet guests in attendance were Elijah Wood (Frodo) and Hobbit friends, Billy Boyd (Pippin), Dominic Monaghan (Merry) and Orlando Bloom (Logolas).

Lower Hutt, Scenes involving the fortress of Minas Tirith, Isengard, Minas Morgul and Helms Deep were shot on location in Lower Hutt, in the Dry Creek Quarry south of Wellington. One of the largest and most detailed sets from Lord of the Rings. the stunning set includes details right down to paving stones, trees and statues.

South Island
Nelson, at the top of the South Island was home to Mt Owen, the scene for the Dimrill Dale hillside. Both locations are in the interior of the Kahurangi National Park, one of three National Parks located in the Nelson region. Chetwood Forest was created on nearby Takaka Hill.

Ben Ohau sheep station near Twizel in Canterbury, is historically significant in the area, and became the Pelennor Fields and White Mountain Foothills.

The mystical home to King Theoden and the Riders of Rohan was created on the summit of Mount Sunday, on the Plains of Canterbury. Since it is one of the few flat regions in the country, the area is home to a lot of farming and agriculture.

Te Anau Region The Dead Marshes were filmed at Kepler Mire.

Queenstown – including Arrowtown Recreational Reserve, Paradise in Glenorchy, Kinloch and Wanaka - was the setting for scenes including the Slopes and Summit of Amon Hen, Osgiliath Hilltop, Ford of Bruinen, Lochlorien Woods and the Dimrill Dale Hillside.

Fiordland Milford Sound provided many scenic shots, including Mavora Lake 'Amon Hen', the river 'Nen Hithoel' and Paradise 'Fangorn Forest', located in Glenorchy. Famous for its breathtaking beauty, sheer peaks and cascading waterfalls, this remote 22km-long fiord is the gem in Fiordland's crown, drawing thousands of visitors each year. Midgewater Marshes and Weathertop Countryside were also filmed in this region.

New Zealand Tourism offers suggested Lord Of The Rings driving routes on its Website.

 
About The Masters Lodge  •  About Hawkes Bay & Napier  •  Lodge Events & Packages  •  Activities & Attractions  •  Reviews & Comments  •  Rates & Bookings  •  Contact Us

"The Master's Lodge boutique lodgings offer luxury hotel style accommodation situated in Napier, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (NZ). Our retreat offers elegant bed and breakfast with optional gourmet dinners, spa options, and wedding and honeymoon packages."