ONLY IN NZ

27 SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED

Thanks to the wonder of cinema, the entire world has seen part of Russell Alexander’s sheep farm. Tucked away in the bucolic countryside of the WAIKATO region, it was spotted from the air by director Sir Peter Jackson when he was looking for the ideal location to build the set for Hobbiton, where his Lord of the Rings trilogy would begin. Rolling green hills, a peaceful lake, the perfect pine tree – it was just what he wanted and, somewhat reluctantly, Alexander agreed to what would become a life-changing partnership.

Six movies down the line, he is now in charge of an obsessively perfect permanent evocation of JRR Tolkien’s imagined village of hobbits. Visitors arriving at HOBBITON MOVIE SET (tours depart from THE SHIRE’S REST , just 15 minutes from the town of MATAMATA , also Hobbit-themed) are both delighted and amazed to walk into this other world and see every minute detail up close. Small round doors and windows are set into the sides of low hills, behind front gardens growing real foxgloves, hollyhocks and vegetables. Rakes and spades lie as if where their users have just dropped them. Hobbit-sized trousers hang on washing lines, firewood is piled up by the doors, and lichen clings to picket fences. It all looks bewitchingly pretty and disarmingly real – but every detail has been minutely curated. Most astonishing