Famous Film Locations of New Zealand
New Zealand has a long history with film, but it’s the recent success of films like Lord of the Rings, Avatar, The Hobbit and The Last Samurai that have put it on the map as a top filming location.
Here are a few iconic locations used in the filming of some of the biggest films made in New Zealand.
Hobbiton Movie Set:
Located 8 kilometres west of Hinuera and 10 kilometres southwest of Matamata in the Waikato region, this is perhaps the most famous of all film locations in the country. Tourists flock from all corners of the world to take guided tours and enter the homes of beloved characters like Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. It was used extensively in the filming of both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The guided tours are still massively popular and require you to book well in advance.
Taranaki Region:
Global hit ‘The Last Samurai’, starring Tom Cruise, was filmed largely in the Taranaki Region in the North Island. A bulk of the filming was done on the picturesque hills of the Uruti Valley, which was transformed to resemble 1860’s rural Japan. The intense battle scenes were filmed at Lake Mangamahoe, with Mt Taranaki putting in a background performance as Mt. Fuji. The cast and crew were enamoured with the region during and after shooting, with Cruise describing the scenery as “breathtaking” and “stunning”. While the sets no longer stand, it is still possible to visit the locations used in the film.
Cathedral Cove:
This beautiful beach, located in the stunning Coromandel, is only accessible on foot, boat or kayak. It was used as an important site in ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian’, being where the Pevensie children made their return to Narnia and discovered the ruins of Cair Paravel. It is a perfectly picturesque spot, great for swimming, kayaking, boating or walking. The distinctive rock arch is hard to miss and offers a great photo opportunity.
Mount Victoria, Wellington:
This is probably the most accessible film location in the region, if not the entire country. It is within walking distance of the CBD and has various tracks throughout, as well as a road that will take you right to the top. Mount Vic, as it is locally known, played host to one of the most iconic scenes in The Fellowship of the Ring, when the hobbits were being pursued by the black riders and had to hide beneath some tree roots to evade them. Various other scenes were also filmed around the area including the famous shot of the black rider silhouetted by the moon at the top of a path.
Mount Victoria offers many walking and mountain-biking tracks and the views from the lookout are some of the best in the city.
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