Matamata

For the village in Tunisia, see Matmâta. For the turtle, see Mata mata.

Matamata
Matamata
Coordinates: 37°49′S 175°46′E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato
Territorial authority	Matamata-Piako District
Ward	Matamata
Electorate	Waikato
Government
• MP	Lindsay Tisch (National)
• Mayor	Hugh Vercoe
Population
• Urban	6,309
Time zone	NZST (UTC+12)
• Summer (DST)	NZDT (UTC+13)
Postcode	3400
Area code(s)	07

Sign in Matamata identifying town as the location where the Hobbiton scenes from the Lord of the Rings were filmed

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. During the interim period filming Return of the King and The Hobbit they had no furniture or props, but could be entered with vistas of the farm viewed from inside them. A "Welcome to Hobbiton" sign has been placed on the main road. In 2011 parts of Hobbiton began to close in preparation for 2 new movies based around the Lord of the Rings prequel novel The Hobbit.

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.

Media

• tvCentral
• Scene
• Matamata Chronicle

Association football

Matamata is home to Matamata Swifts who compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1A.

Schools

Secondary schools

• Matamata College

Intermediate schools

• Matamata Intermediate

Primary schools

• Hinuera School
• Firth Primary School
• Matamata Primary School

Religious schools

• Matamata Christian School
• St Josephs Catholic School

Notable people

• Dame Catherine Tizard (former Governor General of NZ)
• Shane Dye - jockey

Nearby towns

• Hinuera
• Peria
• Turanga-o-moana
• Te Poi
• Waharoa
• Walton
• Wardville

See also

• List of towns in New Zealand