AS SEEN ON SCREEN

New Zealand is Middle-earth as far as the wider world is concerned and many come here seeking out Hobbiton as a shrine to J.R.R. Tolkien’s genius. But what other films have been made in Aotearoa? And where? Check out nine of the top filming locations in Aotearoa.

Weta Cave, Wellington

© WellingtonNZ

MT TARANAKI IN THE LAST SAMURAI Most of the filming occurred near New Plymouth/Taranaki. A Japanese village was constructed for filming on the hillsides of the Uruti Valley, with Mt Taranaki body doubling for Mt Fuji. Super fans check out: PukekuraPark, Lake Mangamāhoe and PortTaranaki.

CENTRAL OTAGO IN MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT The sixth offering from the series was filmed around Milford Sound, Queenstown and Lake Wanaka. Super fans check out: Nevis Valley located in Remarkables Conservation Area, Rees Valley close to Paradise and Mt Earnslaw located in Mt Aspiring National Park.

PARADISE IN X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE Yes! It is a real place on Earth and you’ll find it at the end of the Queenstown-Glenorchy Road in the Southern Lakes region. Super fans check out: Stirling Falls and Deer Park Heights – this is on private land, so you’ll need to buy a ticket online for your vehicle to enter.

CATHEDRAL COVE IN THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA – PRINCE CASPIAN From Hahei Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula you can walk to the stunning Cathedral Cove. New Zealand was the favoured location for this movie trilogy so there is an abundance of places to visit. Super fans check out: Paradise (see X-Men), Flock Hill, Canterbury, the Elephant Rocks, Waitaki and Purakaunui Falls located in The Catlins.

Cathedral Cove, Coromandel

© Adobe Stock

MILFORD SOUND IN ALIEN: COVENANT The Alien series director, Ridley Scott, uses the other-worldly qualities of Milford Sound to portray life on the moody alien planet for this instalment in the series. Amazingly, he loved this place on its off day, feeling inspired by misty climate and the torrential rains that gave way to impromptu waterfalls. Super fans check out: Eglinton Valley and Mitre Peak.

Milford Sound cruise

© Real Journeys

TRY TO SPOT

HUNT FOR THE WILDER PEOPLE This one-ofa-kind from writer/director/ producer Taika Waititi has become a Kiwi classic. Try and spot where the Pūhoi Valley, the Waitākere Ranges, Central Plateau and The Coromandel are featured.

SWEET TOOTH This dystopian Netflix series has filmed two seasons in New Zealand to date. The first, filmed during 2020, was between Auckland, the Waikato and the South Island. Here are some places to keep an eye out for: Auckland Botanic Gardens, Hūnua Falls, Rainbow’s End, Glenbrook Vintage Railway and the Adrenalin Forest Auckland located in Bombay.

Glenbrook Railway Station, Waiuku

© Adobe Stock

ORETI BEACH IN THE WORLD’S FASTEST INDIAN Found just a few kilometres outside of Invercargill, the vast expanse of sand, surf and sunshine made the ideal backdrop for Burt Munro’s attempts to set land speed records on his modified Indian Scout motorcycle. Super fans check out: The streetwhere the post office was set is called The Crescent and many of Burt Munro’s tools from his shed are on display in a local hardware store.

Burt Munro Challenge, Southland

© Great South

LYALL BAY IN KING KONG This Wellington bay was used in the first half of the movie as the backdrop for Skull Island, home to Kong himself and is also the setting for the dinosaur stampede scene. Skull Island was actually located on a large-scale set built above Shelly Bay, on the Miramar Peninsula. Super fans check out: Weta Cave Tour to see the craftsmanship and artistry that went into the props, costumes and prosthetics.

KAREKARE BEACH IN THE PIANO The desolate nature of this beach in Auckland’s Waitākere Ranges relayed the feeling of isolation as it became the landing ground for the European settlers. Super fans check out: Scenes in the bush were shot on two farms: one in Matakana, North Auckland and the other in Awakino, Northern Taranaki. Underwater sequences were filmed in the Bay of Islands.

KAITOKE REGIONAL PARK IN THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY And finally for the Lord of the Rings fans out there, we have Rivendell. You’ll find the home of the elves north of Wellington. Super fans check out: Glenorchy, with the view of Mt Earnslaw that was one of the opening shots of the two towers. Mt Sunday featured as the main city of the Rohan people. Frodo and Faramir capture Gollum at the Tawhai Falls in Tongariro