Matamata is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is one of the main departure points for the Hobbiton Movie Set, which is out in the countryside.

Understand

1 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:

• Auckland – 160 km / 2 hrs
• Hamilton – 65 km / 50 mins
• Tauranga – 50 km / 40 mins
• Rotorua – 70 km / 55 mins
• Taupo – 120 km / 90 mins

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. (updated Dec 2018)

See

• 1 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. (updated Jan 2017)
• 2 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. (updated Jan 2017)

Sleep

• 1 Horse and Jockey Inn, 81 Arawa St. 15 room hotel. From $45. (updated Sep 2016)
• 2 Matamata Backpackers, 61 Firth St (SH 27), ☏ +648809745, info@matamatabackpackers.co.nz. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Small hostel consisting of small cabins, an ablution block, shared kitchen and dining room, laundry facilities, games garage and TV/movie lounge. Two-minute walk from the i-Site (Hobbiton departure point). Also provides the use of amenities for people travelling in campervans for a small fee. From $24 dorm to $59 private. (updated Oct 2019)

Cope

There are public toilets on Hetana St, just along from the i-Site Visitor Centre.

Go next

Waikato

Coromandel Peninsula

Cambridge (New Zealand)

Coromandel Peninsula

Hamilton (New Zealand)

Matamata

Pirongia

Raglan (New Zealand)

Te Awamutu

Te Kuiti

Waitomo