New Zealand - Welcome to Middle Earth
Wellington, Mount Victoria, Seatoun, Khandallah, Mount Ngauruhoe, Waitomo, Mount Ruapehum and more.
City of blinding lights
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. At latitude 41°S, it's the southernmost national capital city in the world. This is about as far south as you can get without hiking through Patagonia.
Wellington by night from Mount Victoria
Cars along a cable
For only $4,50 you can be dragged up the hillside by a charming old cable car. The line was opened in 1902 to transform the green hills into a new suburb. Today it provides easy access to the Botanical Gardens.
Cable car tracks above Wellington
Across the waters
The city is located in a large bay, providing an excellent harbor area.
Wellington
Grassy leisure
Having a picnic in the Botanical Gardens sitting next to the Carter Observatory. Life is good.
Botanical Gardens in Wellington
Walk of fame
At the end of the street is the Embassy where Lord of the Rings had world premiere. The cast went on a parade along this street and there was a giant nazgul statue on one of the rooftops.
Courtenay, Wellington
Seaside manners
Wellington
Land of the hobbits
Unfortunately the nazgul had another appointment at this hour.
Lord of the Rings filming location in Mount Victoria
Get off the road
This was the place where Frodo and the hobbits first encountered the nazgul. It was also the site for the very first shooting of the trilogy, catching the press off guard.
Lord of the Rings filming location in Mount Victoria
Going to Brill
This forest saw four hobbits escape from a nazgul. The area was also used for the scenes at Weathertop, Dunharrow, Hobbiton Woods and Outer Shire.
Lord of the Rings filming location in Mount Victoria
Kebab hunter
Reine surveying the kebab district.
Cuba Street, Wellington
I can see my house from here
The city is located in a large bay, providing an excellent harbor area.
View of Wellington from Mount Victoria
Coming through the walls
I've seen several buildings where the walls have been painted to look like a more fashionable exterior, but the lady was a new touch.
Wellington
Urban groove
Wellington
With the eagles
The city is very densely populated due to the narrow space between the harbor and the surrounding hills.
Wellington
Hobbit hangout
This is the Chocolate Fish Café, a local favorite of Peter Jackson where he brought a lot of the Lord of the Rings cast to dine. A very nice place, despite the horrible colors. Each chair is individually painted with different movie characters such as King Kong.
Chocolate Fish Café in Seatoun
Rising from the deep
This rock formation is located near Weta Workshops. The sandstone rocks in the area were said to have inspired artist Alan Lee in the design of Shelob's Lair.
Point Dorset, Seatoun
I can feel it in the water
Seatoun is more than Chocolate Fish Café and a nice beach. It is also the place where Peter Jackson lives. During the filming of Lord of the Rings it was home to the stars and the set of Bree.
Scorching Bay Beach, Seatoun
In the Shire
The land of the hobbits seems run down by sheeps these days. In fact, there's 45 million of them.
North island
A room with a view
View from the bedroom window.
Khandallah
Just a lovely day
Point Dorset, Seatoun
Across Dagorlad
New Zealand volcano Mount Ngauruhoe is located in the Tongariro National Park on the north island. It was used as Mount Doom for a few scenes in Lord of the Rings, but since the local population didn't allow filming there for religious reasons the crew had to make a digital replica of it.
Mount Ngauruhoe
The road goes on and on
This must be one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Waitomo
Petals
Waitomo
Escape from the worm cave
The glow worm caves are really cool. It's pitch black and the worms above looks like stars across the cave.
Waitomo
A far green country
The vegetation of this country is just unbelievably dense.
Waitomo