Matamata
Matamata is in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand.
Understand
🌍 i-Site Gatehouse Visitor Centre, 45 Broadway, ☎ +64 7 888-7260. Daily from 9am, closes between 4:15pm & 5pm (varies seasonally). The Centre is built as a Hobbit gatehouse, so don't miss it when in town.
Get in
Hobbiton sign on Broadway near i-Site
By car
Matamata is on State Highway 27. The quickest route from Auckland is to start heading south on State Highway 1, then after crossing the Bombay Hill, turn on to State Highway 2, which leads into State Highway 27 after passing the turn-off to Tauranga.
Approximate distances and drive times are:
By bus
- Intercity. This bus company has about 8 coaches per day passing through on the roughly north–south Auckland–Rotorua route, and the east–west Tauranga–Hamilton route.
Get around
See
- 🌍 Firth Tower Museum, 266 Tower Rd (2 km from the edge of town). Buildings Th-M 10am–4pm; grounds daily 10am–4pm. Museum displays in 13 buildings including the tower built in 1882. Museum displays are by the Matamata Historical Society. Buildings adult $10, senior, child (under 16 years) $5; grounds free.
- 🌍 Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, 501 Buckland Rd, Hinuera (14 km from Matamata). Daily from 8:30am; last tour time varies seasonally. Tour the film set used for the Shire in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit film series. Pick-up from Matamata i-Site at no extra charge. Adult $79, 9–16 years $39.50, under 9 years free with paying adult. Pick-up from Rotorua for extra $35.
Do
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
- 🌍 Horse and Jockey Inn, 81 Arawa St. 15 room hotel from $45.
Connect
Cope
There are public toilets on Hetana St, just along from the i-Site Visitor Centre.
Go next
▼ Waikato
► Coromandel Peninsula
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