Woolly takeover

Sheep have replaced hobbits at The Shire in Matamata. The rolling green pastures and hobbit houses that provided the backdrop for director Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy were originally going to be converted into hobbit theme park, to attract tourists to the town. But the plans were shelved, and the land is now home to 12, sheep and 25 cattle. They are allowed to roam around the 17 hobbit holes left behind after the production team departed. Visitors too are able to explore the village through Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tours, a company established by the farmers who own the land.


Tags: Lord of the Rings (The)  Matamata  Telegraph (The)  

Amy Brown’s New Novel Inspired by Women and Art

Amy Brown’s New Novel Inspired by Women and Art

Like many writers before her, New Zealand-born Amy Brown takes inspiration from the Australian feminist icon Stella Maria Miles Franklin in her captivating debut novel My Brilliant Sister – but instead…