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| The Hobbit Hole |
Dubbed the traveling Hobbit Hole, it was created at Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata, with input from Hobbiton Movie Set General Manager Russell Alexander, The Hobbit Trilogy Art Director Brian Massey, head joiner Peter Hawke and local builder Darren Roa.
This slice of Middle-earth originated from the Hobbiton™ village, where 44 Hobbit homes are the main attractions for visitors roaming the country paths, hedgerows, orchards and gardens that fill a delightful English country-style landscape.
The Hobbit Hole features a door that was originally constructed as the entrance to The Green Dragon™ Inn and used during filming of The Hobbit Trilogy, but was removed when the set was transformed into a functional part of the Hobbiton tourism experience.
This is the first time the Hobbit Hole has been on display in NZ. The Hobbit Hole was constructed late last year and has been used on international campaigns in London and more recently Singapore.
Late last year the Hobbit Hole was transported to London for the world première of the final film in The Hobbit Trilogy. From Middle-earth to London, Hobbiton Movie Set's General Manager Russell Alexander and his construction team spent three days recreating a life-size Hobbit Hole in London’s Claridge’s Hotel.
Up to 200 entertainment media attending the world première of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies - used the Middle-earth-inspired New Zealand room for interviews during the première media programme in anticipation of the international release by Warner Bros. Pictures. The footage of the Hobbit Hole has been viewed over 34 Million times.
In March this year the enchantment of Middle-earth descended on Singapore. The travelling Hobbit Hole was constructed in Changi Airport’s Terminal 3. Visitors had the chance to step inside the Hobbit Hole and have their photos taken in a real piece of movie magic. The Hobbit Hole was on display from March to late April this year.
General Manager Russell Alexander was looking forward to having the traveling Hobbit Hole back home.
‘We are very excited to finally have the Hobbit Hole back on NZ soil after a trip to London and Singapore. It has been a pleasure to be a part of something that has had such a big impact worldwide and I am now looking forward to Kiwi’s having their chance to experience the travelling Hobbit Hole’
A long yet rewarding journey
It has been a long journey since a location scout first came knocking on the Alexander farm door in 1998. Back then, the fertile green paddocks on a quiet back country road were home to the Alexander family, and their grazing livestock - 13,500 sheep and around 300 cattle.Hobbiton was then created by director Sir Peter Jackson to depict the home of the Hobbits for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
In December 2002, Russell Alexander conducted the first tours of the movie set, which was rebuilt out of permanent materials from 2009 to 2011 for The Hobbit Trilogy.
Since then, tourists from all over the world have been flocking to Hobbiton Movie Set to get their own insider’s view of the epic filming projects, making it the largest permanent film set to visit in the world.
The two-hour tour shows tourists around 44 Hobbit Holes dug into the green Waikato hillside, Hobbit orchards, the Party Tree and party field, and finishes with a pint in The Green Dragon™ Inn.
Alexander says,
“I can honestly say I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be this big. From where we began in 2002, running a couple of tours in our small van, to where we are now is very humbling and a true testament to the great team we have here at Hobbiton Movie Set. It doesn’t stop here though, I have made it a personal goal to do something new every year. We have some very exiting additions to be unveiled in the next 12 months, so watch this space.”
Hobbiton Movie Set fact file
- Film set area: covers approximately 12 acres
- Hobbit houses: 44 Hobbit Holes
- Party tree: 70 - 80 metres tall. Approx 100 years old
- Construction: 70 set builders
- Catering: During production, three meals were served daily to cast and crew, plus snacks on demand for 500+ people
- Gardens: 2.3km (and growing) hedges; 30 - 200 plants around each Hobbit house
- Ground staff: 7 - 8 gardeners during height of season, 5 in winter
- Traditional ales, cider and non-alcoholic ginger beer, all brewed exclusively for Hobbiton, are served from barrels behind the bar at the Green Dragon Inn- incorporated in the tour since 2012.
- Guests take part in a 2 hour fully guided tour of the movie set.
- The set is a two-hour drive from Auckland and within easy access of other tourist destinations including Rotorua, Waitomo, Tauranga and the city of Hamilton.
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