Visiting Hobbiton – An inspiring journey in New Zealand

I always had a dream of visiting Hobbiton. And here I actually was on the Hobbiton movie set with my parents, but busy handling an umbrella – feeling pissed, irritated, with my huge expectations of a great Hobbiton tour gone down the drain.

But that’s not how the day started.

REACHING HOBBITON – INSIDE THE SHIRE’S REST CAFE & SHOP

“Welcome to The Shire”– read the cute fancy brochure that we received at the Shire’s Rest cafe & shop. I was extremely excited as I was going to experience my favourite activity in the entire New Zealand itinerary.

Along with it came the map of the Hobbiton movie set.  The map transported me to the times when we used to play treasure hunt as kids.

It was drizzling and we were enjoying sipping our hot chocolate besides having a look at the store’s wide-ranging collection; from Weta collectables to exclusive Southfarthing beverages, Stansborough Fibre’s woollen items to unique Hobbit-movie themed clothes.

The store also had the usual suspects -mugs, magnets, stickers, stationery and shot glasses. We had made a stop there as part of our GreatSights tour to Hobbiton.

Earlier, we’d left Auckland in the morning & after travelling through the lush farmlands of Waikato & King Country regions, reached the location just outside of Matamata.

A separate movie-theme coloured Hobbiton Movie Set Bus picked and dropped us at the entrance to the Hobbiton movie set.

We were about to experience Middle Earth in the heart of the Waikato region as seen in The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit trilogies & I was one excited little chipmunk stoked about visiting Hobbiton and exploring it!

BAD WEATHER THREATENING TO KILL THE JOY OF VISITING HOBBITON

The weather was overcast and the moment we entered The Shire, it started raining cats and dogs. As a result, I was disappointed looking at the gloomy & dark conditions.

The sounds I was hearing alternated between the voice of my guide James & the screaming raindrops. James gave us a couple of umbrellas to prevent us from getting drenched. However, this is not how I had imagined it to be.

I always had a dream of visiting Hobbiton. And here I actually was on the Hobbiton movie set with my parents, but busy handling an umbrella – feeling pissed, irritated, with my huge expectations of a great Hobbiton tour gone down the drain.

HOW A SHEEP AND BEEF FARM BECAME “THE HOBBITON”

Anyway, James started telling us a story about how this Alexander Family Sheep Farm that was home to 13,000 sheep transformed into the perfect setting for Peter Jackson‘s adaptation of the classic works by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The story goes that in September 1998, location scouts found this 1,250-acre sheep & beef farm and a valley behind the farm from an aerial search for suitable film sites.

They showed pictures of this location to Peter Jackson (a New Zealander himself). Consequently, Peter finalized this location for his LOTR movies and went to meet Ian Alexander– owner of the farm.

However, he chose the wrong time to call in on Ian Alexander. Ian shooed him off as he was watching the 2nd half of the big NPC Rugby final.

All the members in the tour group (me included) couldn’t control ourselves and let out a collective chuckle when we heard this.

Continuing the story our guide told us that Jackson, not deterred by the rejection, returned again and told the family that he was planning to make a movie on the scope of James Cameron’s Titanic.

However, the Alexander family hadn’t heard of him (Peter Jackson) and thus, met this offer with scepticism.

Previously, the family had allowed a rural bank to film an advertisement on the farm, a process Ian’s son Craig described as “a circus“. But Jackson persevered and promised to not do the same & the family took his word.

Site construction started in March 1999. Initially, it involved a lot of groundwork so the New Zealand army came in to assist! The NZ Army built a 1.5 km road into the site & undertook initial set development using heavy earthmoving machinery.

Filming commenced in December 1999 & it took three months to get a wrap on The Shire.

My attention had smoothly shifted from the disappointing weather at the start to the intriguing story. I was in awe listening to the story. Got me wondering how passionate Peter Jackson must have been to go to this extent to make his movie.

EXPLORING THE HOBBITON MOVIE SET

HOBBIT HOLES

We reached a little Hobbit Hole and James told us how 39 such Hobbit holes had been created using untreated timber, ply & polystyrene.

I found these “round door-round windows” adorned miniature homes extremely adorable and surreal. Imagine feeling “why has everything around me become smaller?”

I felt like Gulliver on his travels (for the lack of a better reference). Miniature tables and chairs provided for experimental seating and thankfully I didn’t break them with my inquisitive spirit.

My parents & I posed outside one of the Hobbit Holes and James was happy to click his fellow not-so-hobbity hobbits. Also, I entered one of them to see what being a hobbit was like.

I hit my head with the low-level roof and that was the end to my breaking-in the Hobbit hole adventure series.

We walked along a well-designed path passing several hobbit holes- some even with miniature pumpkins & cabbages outside.

In the middle of all the stories, walking and going inside the Hobbit holes, the weather had cleared. The sun was out in all it’s glory.

It was like just as I was beginning to get comfortable with the place and starting to feel a connection with it, the weather too started to get warm & pleasant.

OAK ‘PARTY’ TREE

In one particular part of the farm, I saw a huge oak tree. The oak tree towered over a nearby lake, adjacent to a rising hill.

James informed us that Bag End now sits atop that hill overlooking the oak tree. It was also called the Party Tree, as shown in the movie. We sat by the bench and absorbed the serenity that surrounded us.

Apparently, the oak/Party tree was cut down & transported in from near Matamata. Artificial leaves were brought in from Taiwan & individually wired onto the tree.

“That was some collaborative effort“, I thought to myself, impressed by the detailing that had gone into the making the tree.

SEEING ‘THE MILL’ AND FINISHING THE PETER JACKSON STORY

As we walked further, we reached The Mill by the lakeside. The Mill & the double arch bridge near it were built out of scaffolding, ply & polystyrene.

Coming back to the Peter Jackson story, James told us that secrecy was key & strict security measures were put in place by the production company throughout the construction & filming.

In 2009, Peter Jackson returned to film The Hobbit trilogy & left behind the beautiful movie set- including the forty-four reconstructed Hobbit Holes in the exact state as seen in the movies.

The entire reconstruction process took 2 years and this time the structures were built out of permanent materials including an artificial tree which was made of steel & silicon.

Interestingly, the filming for The Hobbit trilogy began in October 2011 & took only 12 days. Such a tremendous scale of work and preparation for just 12 days of filming.

My respect for Peter Jackson “the perfectionist” just rose with each such instance that James narrated to us.

GREEN DRAGON INN

We finally finished our exploration of the movie set with a visit to the world-famous Green Dragon Inn. The inn had been fully reconstructed & gave a pub-like feel.

The rustic film set ambience was enjoyable & we were offered a complimentary drink from the handcrafted and exclusive Southfarthing range, which included two traditional ale options- an apple cider or a non-alcoholic ginger beer.

My parents & I chose the latter and sat by the fireplace raising a gingery toast to the occasion. I loved the taste of the ginger beer & therefore, gulped another one. It was really light in it’s texture, yet gave the essence & kick of a beer.

What followed was a “complimentary lunch” – part of our GreatSights tour package. The lunch spread, in it’s creative presentation & variety seemed like the one that hobbits were served.

The menu had enough for both vegetarians & non-vegetarians to dig in & enjoy a sumptuous meal. I finished my meal & stepped out to have one final glance at this view that was straight out of a child’s dream.

AN INSPIRING JOURNEY

Since my childhood, all I ever dreamed about was being on a film set – working every day to my heart’s content. And seeing this alluring place as a result of a filmmaker’s undying zeal, dedication & commitment to a vision, made me feel immensely proud & inspired.

Exiting the set, I was silently thanking Peter Jackson for 3 reasons-

• Firstly, visualising & creating this unequivocal beauty of a place that had the warmth to make you feel at home,
• Furthermore, accomplishing the arduous task of reconstructing it and
• Finally, converting it into a tourist destination, allowing millions of people to experience the magic of “reel in real“

The tour of Hobbiton for me began on a dull and gloomy note.

However, much like the happy-endings in movies, ended on a great note as I could now proudly flaunt my Hobbiton set map & souvenirs and say “Yes, I was part of the magic at The Shire”. 

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