Home of the Hobbits

At the 2004 US Academy Awards, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won in every category it was nominated for, a total of 11 Oscars including best picture and for New Zealander Peter Jackson best director. The Return of the King was the third and final film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. All three movies were filmed in New Zealand.

The New Zealand film locations have become popular visitor destinations. The Hobbiton set, recreated town of the Hobbits, is near the town of Matamata on the North Island. Our contributed photo of Hobbiton is by Sydneysider Claudio Wildhaber who visited most of the Lord of the Rings New Zealand locations.

If you have an interesting travel picture you'd like to share with us and include in Your Photo Gallery, visit our photo submission page and we'll see if we can publish your contribution.

The Lure of New Zealand
The North Island in Five Days
The South Island in Five Days

Photo: One of the Hobbit homes at Hobbiton, contributed by Claudio Wildhaber, Sydney