Queenstown - Lord of the Rings

I was going to have a relaxing day back in Queenstown but decided last minute to take the Lord of the Rings half day tour.
The 4 wheel drive picked me up at 8.15 and off we went towards Glenorchy where a number of scenes were shot. Our guide Nicky told us stories from a New Zealander perspective as we drove passed The Remarkables mountain range where the Dimdrill Dale scenes were filmed, you could also see Deer Park Heights which was used in the 2 towers film.
We passed Wakatipu lake and Nicky told us how the lake flooded in 1999 which meant filming would be halted. Peter Jackson paid for sandbags to be brought in and he and the crew helped in the clear up after the flood which really endeared them in the hearts of the locals.
Apparently around that time too she'd seen a house in Geary Lane which was situated high on a hill and took in the stunning views of The Remarkables. AFter some thought she and her husband put in an offer only to be told that it had been sold. She later discovered that Peter Jackson had bought it and still owns it today but it was the one place we couldn't go take a look at.

I learned that many of the Queenstown people became ORCS and people of the Rohan and the Hobbits used to frequent many of the hotels and pubs in the town. They used to also enjoy 'having fun' on the helicopters that took them to some of the remote locations - so much so that Sean Bean refused to travel in a helicopter and got up early on a shooting morning to travel by car to the nearest place and then walk the rest of the way to the shoot.

We saw the wetlands on which a number of the marsh scenes were based.
We saw the stables that provide the majority of the horses in the film and a number of the paddocks were used to store/house the film crew equipment and vehicles. Rumour has it that the stable owner was paid 3000 NZ dollars per day for the privelege.
We stopped at Dan's Paddock where Gandalf rode off to Isengard and we also drove throw the 'ORCS' wood and you could just imagine the dard figures coming out from the undergrowth.

The forest floor where Lothlorien was filmed was strewn with fallen beech leaves and Nicky told us that as this was a national park site that anything that was removed had to be replaced once the filming was complete. PJ wanted the golden brown beech leaves in his film so he arrived for a Chinese firm to make thousands of silk leaves which they blew into the forest. WHen filming was complete the leaves were hoovered up, the natural leaves separated from the silk and blown back onto the forest floor. Staggering!!
On the way back we stopped at the place where Frodo Sam and Smeagol lay on top of a hill and watched the Oliphants. There were other places along the Dart river for the Isengard and Amon Hen stuff.
I bought the locations guide book and realise there are already so many other places from the film that we've seen along this tour. I know I'll re-watch the film when I get back with a different viewpoint.
In the afternoon I went to the Kiwi Wildlife park and then took a gondola ride to the mountain top that overlooks Queenstown - magnificent views

All for now
Love Sue
xx