GREETINGS FROM AOTEAROA (New Zealand), one of the youngest landmasses and first country to greet the new day, also the stand-in locale for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth during the year-long filming of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. For those adventurous enough to see the breathtaking scenery and landscapes featured in the Peter Jackson’s movies at first hand, there are even ‘The Lord of the Rings’ tours from several local travel specialists. Surprisingly few of the landscapes in the movie trilogy were matt backdrops (or ‘matts’ as these paintings are known) or computer generated images (CGI). However, you shouldn’t visit New Zealand just because it appeared in these films, but rather as a safe, clean holiday destination that is surprisingly diverse in what it offers. Tourism New Zealand has info on LotR movie locations so you can plan your own Middle-earth adventures.
NEW ZEALAND LOCATIONS of most interest to LotR movie fans will include: Canterbury; Hinuera Valley, Matamata; Te Anau and Milford Sound, Fiordland; Queenstown; Rangipo Desert and Tongiraro National Park, Mt. Ruapehu, Waiouru; Twizel; and Upper Hutt, Wellington; Wellington. A comprehensive list of filming locations with GPS coordinates and detailed maps is now available in The Lord of the Rings Location Guide Book by Ian Brodie, published by HarperCollins NZ. It’s ideal for anyone planning to visit New Zealand to explore some of director Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth and offers a unique insight into the landscape that helped bring JRR Tolkien’s epic tale to life, including a Foreword by LotR movie helmer Jackson.
SHOULD YOU HAVE any questions about any ‘The Lord of the Rings’ stamp items we offer, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ film trilogy or New Zealand in general - feel free to contact our fulfillment agent by e-mail. They'll try to answer all your questions, but do remember the time difference (GMT +12) if you are expecting an immediate reply.
