Matamata: Hobbiton
-Matamata is a districe of rolling grassy hills; it's name means "point" or "headland" in Maori, the language of the native peoples of New
Zealand
-The area was named after Te Waharoa Pa
-Development of the Matamata region can be attributed to Englishman Josiah Clifton Firth
-The land was originally 56,000 acres of swampy marshland. Firth had the land drained and planted paddocks of grass, barley, wheat, and
oats
-The Matamata region is home to one of New Zealand's main racehorse-breeding areas
-The valley was once a riverbed, as evidenced by rocky outcrops high on the sides of hills that once channeled water. These formation is known as
the Hinuera Formation
-Bag End, the literary home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, is still standing in Matamata and is accessible to the public
