Matamata

Waikato, New Zealand has the town of Matamata. It is a successful farming community noted for its Thoroughbred horse breeding and training operations and is situated close to the base of the Kaimai Ranges. It is a part of the Matamata-Piako District, which also includes Te Aroha, Morrinsville, and the adjacent rural districts. The Kinleith Branch railway and State Highway 27 both pass through the community. By June 2022, the town's population was 8,700.

A nearby farm was the location for the Hobbiton Movie Set in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. The on-site Hobbit holes were developed by the New Zealand government to serve as tourist attractions. They had no furniture or props but could be visited with views of the farm from inside them during the time between The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey filming. The main road includes a sign that reads, "Welcome to Hobbiton." To make way for the three new films based on the first Tolkien book, The Hobbit, some areas of Hobbiton started to close in 2011.

Location: Waikato, New Zealand