Hobbiton

Much to Emma's delight, Justin permitted a stop at Hobbiton on our way home from Rotorua last weekend. Hobbiton lies just on the outskirts of a farm town called Matamata, and is singularly famous for being the filming location of The Shire (aka where the hobbits lived) in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies.

Several very basic hobbit holes were initially created for the Lord of the Rings movies, with most details being added in with CGI at the studio in Wellington.

However, when they started planning the Hobbit trilogy, the decision was made to properly finish the hobbit holes (or at least the exterior aspect). They've now been constructed to last for 50 years. Emma is quite please that she'll be able to continue coming back here until age 80+. Perhaps Bag End will make a nice retirement home?

Here's the vegetable garden, with the Party Tree in the background. 

A sneaky little hobbit is trying to make off with a pint-sized wheelbarrow.

Now he's at it again with a gourd.

The holes are made in all different sizes, to help the filming crew with achieving forced persepective. (ie. making Gandalf the wizard look big by having him stand in front of a small hole, and Frodo look small by having him stand in front of a big hole). This was one of the smallest (and cutest) of the bunch. Emma was disappointed that the hat by the door appeared to be made for someone with a smaller head than hers.

 Bag End. Home to the very well-to-do Bilbo Baggins (and later, Frodo).

A rather more austere hobbit hole. Probably would have belonged to the impoverished but aspirational Sackville Bagginses.

Hobbiton serves specially sourced craft beer, brewed by Good George Brewing company in nearby Hamilton. We tried to make off with a keg, to no avail.

Our tour finished up at the Green Dragon Inn, where we got to try a (hobbit-sized) pint of one of the craft beers.

We had a bit of time to laze around outside the Green Dragon (which also hosts weddings).

View from the Bywater River (which is actually a lake).

This studio apartment may be in our price range...probably larger than our apartment in Auckland too.