We docked at the port city of Tauranga (Maori for ‘resting place’) in the Bay of Plenty. Tauranga is the largest and busiest port in New Zealand with a million shipping containers going in and out of the port each year.
From Tauranga we took a bus tour to the Alexander Farm in Matamata to see Peter Jackson’s ‘Hobbit’ set. Recreated on this working sheep farm are Hobbiton and parts of Buckland and Bywater.
Hobbit Burrow 
A Fishing Hobbit 
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set
We arrived at the Hobbit Movie Set after a 45 minute bus ride from Tauranga. Here we were joined by our guide and began our tour on foot. The set for the Hobbit, unlike most movie sets, was built to be permanent. Peter Jackson and owners of Alexander’s Farm are equal partners in the resulting tourist attraction. Even though it was raining the day we were there, the place was packed.
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set 
Hobbiton Movie Set
The set itself had numerous hobbit burrows with their iconic round doors. The burrows came in two sizes: small for when a scene needed to emphasize how big the wizard Gandalf was compared to the hobbits and large for when a scene needed to emphasize how small the hobbits were. The hobbit burrows were also personalized to differentiate there inhabitants. On sported fishing gear and another sported cheese etcetera. In addition to hobbit burrows, the set included the party tree and field where Bilbo Baggins held his eleventeenth birthday party as well as the Bridge at Bywater and the Green Dragon Inn. Another detail that was included in the set but somewhat over looked in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ is Ted Sandman’s Mill. Of course a highlight of the set is Bilbo and Frodo Baggens’ home, Bag End.
