Conservation land is a rich resource
New Zealand's conservation areas are a rich resource for filmmakers. As well as creating dramatic visuals, conservation land creates financial benefits for the country, including the economic activity created by the film crews and the promotion of the country as tourist destination.
The interest created by Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is a great example of this. Below is a tour of the conservation areas that provided these locations:
Putangirua Pinnacles - The Dimholt Road
Anduin River
The Argonath on the Anduin River
Dead Marshes
Dimholt Road
Dimrill Dale
Edoras
Ered Nimrais
Fangorn Forest
Fangorn Forest edge
Ford of Bruinen
Gates of Mordor
Isengard
Ithilien
Ithilien camp
Mordor
Nen Hithoel
Outcrop south of Rivendell
Silverlode and Anduin rivers
South of Rivendell
Note on GPS coordinates: These are guidelines only. They based on estimates from DOC staff and coordinates from The Lord of the Rings Location Guide Extended Edition by Ian Brodie (HarperCollins, ISBN 1-86950-530-1).
The New Zealand Road Spiral Atlas (HEMA, ISBN13 9781877302367) features Lord of the Rings locations.
Tongariro/Taupo region
Ithilien
Mangawhero River
Gollum catches a fish.
Ohakune area short walks
Tongariro National Park
Coordinates: 39° 19.161'S 175° 30.158'E - view in Google maps
Access: Ohakune Mountain Rd
Mordor
Mangawhero River
Frodo and Sam pass a ruined column in a clearing.
Ohakune area short walks
Tongariro National Park
Coordinates: 39° 19.217'S 175° 30.315'E - view in Google maps
Access: Ohakune Mountain Rd
Mordor
Whakapapa skifield
Isildur cuts off Sauron's finger and the Ring.
Tongariro National Park
Coordinates:
- View of location: 39° 14.116'S 175° 33.529'E - view in Google maps
- Location: 39° 14.114'S 175° 33.522'E - view in Google maps
Access: State Highway 48
Mordor
Whakapapa skifield
Frodo and Sam catch Gollum. Gollum leads the hobbits down the Emyn Muil.
Tongariro National Park
Coordinates: 39° 14.177'S 175° 33.670'E - view in Google maps
Access: State Highway 48
Gates of Mordor
Tukino skifield, Mt Ruapehu
Frodo, Sam and Gollum look out over the Gates of Mordor before setting out to climb around them.
Tongariro National Park
Coordinates: 39° 16.667'S 175° 36.626'E - view in Google maps
Access: Walk in from gate on Tukino skifield road, off SH1
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Wellington region
Dimholt Road
Putangirua Pinnacles
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli ride to meet the Army of the Dead.
Pinnacles track
Putangirua Pinnacles, Aorangi Forest Park
Coordinates: 41° 26.861'S 175° 14.674'E - view in Google maps
Access: Walk-in access from Whatarangi Rd
Nelson/Marlborough region
Dimrill Dale
Mount Owen
The Fellowship, now without Gandalf, escape Moria.
Mount Owen route
Kahurangi National Park
Coordinates: 41° 33.493'S 172° 32.401'E - view in Google maps
Access: Challenging walk-in only
Outcrop south of Rivendell
Mount Olympus/Boulder Lake
The Fellowship hide from the crebain, Saruman's black crows.
Kahurangi National Park
Coordinates: 40° 53.456'S 172° 30.654'E - view in Google maps
Access: Challenging walk-in only (unmarked)
West Coast region
Ered Nimrais
Mount Gunn, near Franz Josef Glacier
The beacons that run along The White Mountains from Gondor to Rohan are lit.
Franz Josef Glacier
Coordinates for view of Mt Gunn: 43° 25.720'S 170° 10.105'E - view in Google maps
Access: Views of location may be possible from the Franz Josef Glacier Valley access track. Turn off State Highway 6, 500m south of Franz Josef Village onto the Franz Josef Glacier access road until you reach the car park. Then follow the glacier access track. An alternative would be to take a scenic flight.
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Canterbury region
Mt Sunday - Edoras
Edoras
Mount Sunday
The capital of Rohan and home to Meduseld, the hall of King Theoden.
Hakatere Conservation Park
Coordinates:
- View: 43° 34.852'S 170° 58.212'E - view in Google maps
- Edoras: 43° 32.899'S 170° 53.591'E - view in Google maps
Access to view point: Hakatere Potts Rd
Access to Edoras: Hakatere Potts Rd, walk up Mount Sunday
Otago region
Ford of Bruinen
Skippers Canyon
Arwen defeats the Nazgûl by conjuring up a flood.
Skippers
Coordinates: 44° 50.724'S 168° 41.054'E - view in Google maps
Access: Skippers Rd
Isengard
Dan's Paddock
Gandalf rides up to Isengard in Nan Curunír.
Rees-Dart Track
Mount Aspiring National Park
Coordinates: 44° 40.417'S 168° 20.457'E - view in Google maps
Access: Glenorchy Paradise Rd
Ithilien camp
Twelve Mile Delta
Frodo, Sam and Gollum watch the battle between Faramir's Rangers of Gondor and the men (and Oliphaunts) of Harad. Sam and Gollum discuss coney cookery.
Twelve Mile Delta to Bob's Cove Track
Twelve Mile Delta Campsite
Queenstown area
Coordinates:
- View: 45° 4.008'S 168° 32.683'E - view in Google maps
- Coney cooking: 45° 4.151'S 168° 32.587'E - view in Google maps
Access: Glenorchy Queenstown Rd
The Argonath on the Anduin River
Kawarau Suspension Bridge
The Fellowship pass the Pillars of the Kings on the Anduin River.
Queenstown area
Coordinates: 45° 0.711'S 168° 53.567'E - view in Google maps
Access: Chard Rd, off Gibbston Highway
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Southland region
Nen Hithoel
North Mavora Lake
North Mavora Lake
The Fellowship moor at the side of the lake at the end of their journey down the Anduin. The hobbits hide from the Uruk-hai.
Mavora Lakes Park
Mavora Lakes Campsite
Coordinates:
- Lakeside: 45° 15.993'S 168° 10.410'E - view in Google maps
- Hiding: 45° 16.024'S 168° 10.500'E - view in Google maps
Access: Mavora Lakes Rd
Silverlode and Anduin rivers
Mararoa River swingbridge at South Mavora Lake
The Fellowship leave Lothlórien.
Mavora Lakes Park
Coordinates: 45° 18.970'S 168° 10.744'E - view in Google maps
Access: Mavora Lakes Rd
Fangorn Forest edge
Mavora Lakes
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli follow Merry and Pippin's trail from the mound of burnt orc bodies left by Eomer's Riders of Rohan.
Mavora Lakes Park
Coordinates: 45° 19.968'S 168° 10.404'E - view in Google maps
Access: Mavora Lakes Rd
South of Rivendell
Norwest Lakes, near St Paul's Dome
The Fellowship move south out of Rivendell.
Mavora Lakes Park
Fiordland National Park
Coordinates: 45° 25.358'S 167° 20.800'E - view in Google maps
Access: Challenging walk-in only (unmarked)
Fangorn Forest
Bog Pine Paddock
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli meet Gandalf the White.
Snowdon Forest
Coordinates: 45° 21.087'S 167° 54.477'E - view in Google maps
Access: Takaro Rd
Anduin River
Waiau River
The opening aerial shot of The Fellowship of the Ring showing the forested banks of the Anduin River.
Fiordland National Park
Kepler Track
Coordinates: 45° 29.755'S 167° 40.159'E - view in Google maps
Access: Rainbow Reach Rd, off Manapouri Te Anau Highway
Dead Marshes
Kepler Mire
Gollum guides Frodo and Sam through the swamp, saving Frodo as he falls under spell of the dead that seem to float within it.
Fiordland National Park
Coordinates: 45° 29.567'S 167° 41.897'E - view in Google maps
Access: Manapouri Te Anau Highway
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