The regular Weta newsletter talks about the restoration of Hobbiton as well. The team at Weta including Daniel Falconer are happily involved in modelling a collectible sculpture of Bag End at them moment, which should be ready for purchase in 2010. “>Read Weta’s “News from the Shire”.

Tourists at Matamata’s Hobbiton will soon see Middle Earth come to life before their eyes, according to a recent report on Stuff.co.nz. Vic James of Red Carpet Tours says he is “delighted” by confirmation that Lord of the Rings tourists will continue to be able to visit the site of Hobbiton as filming approaches.

Continuing an annual tradition, Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tours opened its doors to Matamata locals yesterday. By the time the last tour had left over 600 people had undertaken a guided tour of the set and watched the sheep shearing demonstration whilst many decided to stay on for a “Second Breakfast” at The Shires Rest Café & Function Centre. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a fair bit of news over at the Noldor Blog, including booksignings at the Weta Cave by Alan Lee and Ian Brodie as well as a new kids’ book with Richard Taylor and possibly Dr Grordbort himself, Greg Broadmore. There’s news about the Capitol Court Cinema co-owned by PJ, Richard Taylor and PJ’s editor Jamie Selkirk. Apparently it’s being fixed up -hope their sense of fantasy runs wild with it! (Read More) The Chocolate Fish cafe beloved by LOTR cast and crew is opening in a new beachside location not far from the original. And finally Jack asks who’ll join him in celebrating the 10th anniversary of first day of LOTR filming?

It’s great news that New Line and the Tolkien Estate have settled their lawsuit, but looking at the amount of work going on at the Hobbiton set in the past month, it seems as though the outcome was never in doubt. Here’s images from Holly, who saw this during her Red Carpet Tour through Hobbiton in August.

Hobbiton sprouts new hedgerows

New Row? Hobbiton seems to be growing

Working on Hobbiton's roads

More confirmation that Viggo was in Wellington recently, some good news about one Lothlorien location visited by Flat Earth Tours and Red Carpet Tours, and other tid-bits of news from this blogger that’s got his finger on Wellywood’s pulse.
Read More.

The latest Red Carpet tour had the worst weather ever, but they did get to pick up a couple of LOTR rumours on their way round the country. Viggo had recently visited the stables where the LOTR stars worked on their riding skills and kept their horses, and he also dropped in to his favourite Wellington steak house, the Green Parrot, according to staff there. He was able to say that he was in New Zealand on movie business, but wouldn’t say more….

From The Southland Times: Aaron Nicholson should not be too disappointed that the New Zealand Geographic Board has rejected his suggestion to rename a stretch of the Waiau River to reflect its use as a location for the movie trilogy Lord of the Rings, writes The Southland Times in an editorial. After all, he has joined the vaunted company of Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws in questioning decisions of the board. And let’s be plain that his request was a longshot. At best. What’s in a name?

The battle for Middle-earth has been lost after a bid to rename a small section of a scenic river that featured in a Lord of the Rings film was declined by the New Zealand Geographic Board. Fiordland motorcamp operator Aaron Nicholson had proposed that a two-kilometre stretch of the Waiau River between Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau be renamed Anduin Reach. The area doubled as the Anduin River in Fellowship of the Ring, with cast members floating downstream in elfin boats. Fight for Rings river name lost

A recent CNN story about film tourism featured a woman who enjoyed two guided tours of LOTR film locations. Of course I was curious to know whether the woman, Michele Maro, had taken the Red Carpet tours that are advertised on TORN. A chat to RC tour director Vic James confirmed that indeed Michele had enjoyed her Red Carpet experience so much that she’d returned for a second tour – and she’s not the only one to have done that. “You’d be surprised how many people come back because they want to do the tour again to meet new LOTR friends or see New Zealand in a different season,” James says.