Matamata

Matamata
Matamata information centre
Matamata
Coordinates: 37°49′S 175°46′E / 37.817°S 175.767°E / -37.817; 175.767
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato
Territorial authority	Matamata-Piako District
Ward	Matamata Ward
Electorates	Waikato Hauraki-Waikato
Government
• Territorial Authority	Matamata-Piako District Council
• Regional council	Waikato Regional Council
• Mayor	Adrienne Wilcock
Area [1]
• Total	9.59 km2 (3.70 sq mi)
Elevation	63 m (207 ft)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	9,610
• Density	1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode	3400
Area code	07

Matamata (Māori: [ˈmataˌmata]) is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. 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. The town has a population of 9,610 as of June 2024.^[2]

A nearby farm was the location for the Hobbiton Movie Set in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. The New Zealand government decided to leave the Hobbit holes built on location as tourist attractions. During the period between the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey they had no furniture or props, but could be entered with vistas of the farm viewed from inside them.^[3] A "Welcome to Hobbiton" sign has been placed on the main road. In 2011, parts of Hobbiton began to close in preparation for the three new movies based on the first Tolkien novel, The Hobbit.