Matamata Travel Guide
Matamata accommodation, Matamata activities and attractions, Matamata maps, transportation to and around Matamata - the ALL NEW Jasons Matamata Destination Travel Guide is your complete visitor guide for Matamata.
Set amid the lush pastures of eastern
Waikato, 23km east of
Cambridge, Matamata is known for its gracious Edwardian character. The town is one of the world's premier thoroughbred centres and has produced many champions. There are facilities for swimming, squash, bowls, croquet, gymnastics, athletics and golf, and the town also has a nationally known racecourse.
Just 6.5km east of Matamata are the popular Opal Hot Springs and the town's 18-hole golf course. Fishing is good in the surrounding area with rainbow trout plentiful in the lower Waihou River. There are good spots for shooting duck, pheasant and quail, and many walking tracks through the nearby Kaimai-Mamaku Ranges. The
Hobbiton set for the Lord of the Rings film trilogy was built on a sheep farm outside Matamata, and Tolkien fans can take tours to view the remnants of the set.