Matamata
Encyclopedia
Matamata is a rural Waikato
town in New Zealand
with a population
of around 12,000 (6,000 in rural areas, 6,000 in the township). It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges
, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred
horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District
, which takes in the surrounding rural areas as well as Morrinsville
and Te Aroha
. State Highway 27 and the Kinleith Branch railway run through the town.
A nearby farm was the location for the Hobbiton set in Peter Jackson
's Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The New Zealand government decided to leave the Hobbit holes built on location as tourist attractions, since they were designed to blend seamlessly into the environment. They have no furniture, but can be entered, and vistas of the farm can be viewed from inside them. A "Welcome to Hobbiton" sign has been placed on the main road.
Matamata is also the home of various media outlets, including studios for tvCentral, TV Rotorua and iTV Live, which is unusual for a town of such size.
who compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1A
.
Waikato
The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District...
town in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of around 12,000 (6,000 in rural areas, 6,000 in the township). It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges
Kaimai Ranges
The Kaimai Range is a mountain range in the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of a series of ranges, with the Coromandel Range to the north and the Mamaku Ranges to the south. The Kaimai Range separates the Waikato in the west from the Bay of Plenty in the east.The highest point of the range...
, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District
Matamata-Piako District
The Matamata-Piako District is a local government area in the Waikato region of New Zealand. It lies to the east of the city of Hamilton.The district encompasses the southern end of the Hauraki Plains and much of the Thames Valley, and is bounded in the east by the Kaimai Range...
, which takes in the surrounding rural areas as well as Morrinsville
Morrinsville
Morrinsville is a town in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. The land for the town and surrounding farmland was purchased from Wirimu Tamehana,the king maker prior to the NZ land wars of the 1860s. The land then was very swampy...
and Te Aroha
Te Aroha
Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,768 . It is 53 km northeast of Hamilton and 50 km south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952-metre Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range....
. State Highway 27 and the Kinleith Branch railway run through the town.
A nearby farm was the location for the Hobbiton set in Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The New Zealand government decided to leave the Hobbit holes built on location as tourist attractions, since they were designed to blend seamlessly into the environment. They have no furniture, but can be entered, and vistas of the farm can be viewed from inside them. A "Welcome to Hobbiton" sign has been placed on the main road.
Matamata is also the home of various media outlets, including studios for tvCentral, TV Rotorua and iTV Live, which is unusual for a town of such size.
Association football
Matamata is home to Matamata SwiftsMatamata Swifts
Matamata Swifts AFC is a semi-professional association football club in Matamata, New Zealand.Matamata Swifts currently compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-History:...
who compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1A
Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1
The Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1 is a New Zealand Association football semi-professional status league competition that is run by the Auckland Football Federation and includes soccer clubs located in the northern part of the North Island, New Zealand...
.