Cruise to New Zealand and Australia

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Sunday, 26 January 2025 - A scenic drive from Auckland led to a full guided tour of Hobbiton, exploring the meticulously crafted movie set, gardens, and interiors, with lunch at the Green Dragon before returning to Auckland for dinner with the group.

australia2025 — The drive was through beautiful rolling hills dotted with sheep. The site was chosen as it closely resembled the village described in the Tolkien books. The first set was removed and the land restored as before for sheep grazing. With the second filming some 10 years later, the village was recreated, and the set became a permanent fixture of the farm and a tourist attraction.

australia2025 — The Hobbit homes are sunk into the hills surrounding a small valley.

We went on a tour in a group of 30 people. There were groups ahead and behind us - very well coordinated, so we traveled along with no overlap.

australia2025 — The gardens are meticulous and complement the homes.

australia2025 — There are 44 Hobbit Homes on display - we did not count how many we saw, but there are a lot.

australia2025 — The little homes are very comfortable and welcoming.

australia2025 — Garden tools and carts with fresh vegetables displayed and laundry hanging from a clothes line in the distance give an authentic feel.

australia2025 — Complete with street signs so Gandalf can find his way through Hobbiton.

There was a young girl on our tour who could answer all the questions from the guide as to "what happened here at this moment in the movie?"

australia2025 — The attention to detail for which the movie producer, Peter Jackson, was renowned, was impressive - even to a swinging chair in the nearby trees.

australia2025 — Some homes were not on the path of the tour. Here you can see the chimney near the top of the hill.

australia2025 — Laundry hanging to dry on a hill of the little home.

australia2025 — Looking down on the village center where the tavern, Green Dragon, sits.

We had lunch in the Green Dragon at the end of our tour.

australia2025 — Lots of unique birdhouses in the Hobbit neighborhood.

australia2025 — This is the home, in the movie, of the star Bilbo Baggins, the little hobbit who finds the one ring to rule them all. Bilbo then kicks off the second trilogy to destroy the ring - from this very Hobbit Hole.

australia2025 — It was a stormy day, fortunately, we were only rained on while we were inside the Hobbit Home.

australia2025 — Virginia Ann sitting outside a Hobbit Home.

australia2025 — This huge tree was real in the first movie, but it died. They wanted it for the second set of movies and created this fake tree using steel, aluminum, and silk leaves. The silk was replaced by sun-resistant plastic and each leaf hand painted. Up close, it looks real, and is amazing.

australia2025 — Beautiful berries on the fence along Bagshot row.

australia2025 — On Bagshot row are two Hobbit Homes, which are open for tourists to view.

australia2025 — On the office shelf is a tooth from the dragon Smaug, with whom Bilbo had a tough moment on his adventure.

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australia2025 — A small bed in a tiny bedroom. Cal had to bend over while moving through the house.

australia2025 — Amazing attention to detail throughout the home, the kitchen is an example.

australia2025 — Another unique birdhouse.

australia2025 — Hobbiton mill and double-arched bridge on the edge of town.

australia2025 — Hobbit Homes on the edge of the lake.

australia2025 — Virginia Ann and Cal at the threshold of a Hobbit House.

After a long drive back to Auckland, we had dinner with the rest of our party. The start of a grand adventure.

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