Matamata: The Real Hobbit Village
Hi children! I am at the beautiful Matamata town in New Zealand today. It is known for its industries, dairy farming heritage, historic firth tower museum and the real life Hobbit movie set!
History of Matamata
Matamata is a small agricultural town located at the base of the Kaimai ranges, in the heart of Waikato region and is a part of the Matamata Piako district. Phiilip Tapsell was the first European to have visited this town in 1830. The town was shut around 1835 when an intertribal warfare broke out. In 1865 Josia Firth leased a large area of the town and constructed a dray road to Cambridge and cleared the Waihou River so that his small boats could pass. His estates later failed and were divided into dairy farm units. It became an independent town district only in 1919. In 1989, Matamata became a part of the Matamata- Piako district.
5 Things you need to know about Matamata
Some of the must visit attractions in this beautiful town are as follows:
- The Hobbiton Movie Set- This is the Matamata’s main attraction from the film industry after the Alexander Brother’s farm became the Shire in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- The Alexander’s have made their region into a traditional New Zealand sheep and beef farm. This is the permanent set in the Hobbit movie trilogy.
- Firth Tower Museum- This gives an insight into the town’s history and is worth visiting with its beautiful parks and surrounding.
- Wairere falls- Set amidst the natural scenery this hidden gem is 153 meter high and is a perfect place for clicking lovely pictures!
- Opal hot springs- This is right next to the town’s golf course and one can soak a swim in the naturally hot waters.
The town has a number of places to stay and also offers a variety of food and dining options.
Ever wondered what does “Hobbit” mean?