Matamata (aka Hobbiton)

Matamata sits in the heart of rural Waikato and is a prime dairy and thoroughbred agricultural area. It has a bustling town centre with plenty of shops and cafes. More recently however the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the recent Hobbit movies has added a whole new reason to visit. Located on the outskirts of town is Hobbiton or at least the locations used for the scenes of Hobbiton. Each your thousands of visitors come to see the Hobbit village, the Hobbit houses and now the Green Dragon pub, a real working pub serving Hobbit Ale! The phenomenon has had the effect that the region is now simply referred to as Hobbiton.