Mangawhero River
Gollum's River
The Mangawhero River invites leisurely strolls along its banks. The Maori moniker, Mangawhero, translates to 'red stream,' aptly derived from the red algae flourishing on the volcanic rocks in the vicinity.
The precise filming location becomes accessible after journeying up the road through the breathtaking expanse of mountain beech forest, ultimately leading to the Mangawhero Falls. Upon reaching the destination, park in the designated turn-off area and make your way down to the riverbed. Here, Sméagol's gleeful pursuit and capture of a fish played out against the backdrop. Gazing toward the waterfall, the rocky stream bed setting is unmistakable. However, for the final film edit, the background hills were substituted with a matte painting depicting grander peaks.
The day of this particular shoot coincided with an unexpected snowfall. After the local fire brigade cleared the snow, Andy Serkis donned a weighty wetsuit and swam across the pool. Reflecting on the experience, Andy recalls Peter Jackson's words, "That was great but let's do it again," all the while pondering if he might succumb to freezing conditions and suffer a heart attack.
The scene portraying Sam and Frodo traversing an open glade alongside a ruined column was filmed just upstream. To access this spot, cross the stream and journey about 50 meters into a small clearing, encircled by trees and featuring a patch of springy grass.
The precise filming location becomes accessible after journeying up the road through the breathtaking expanse of mountain beech forest, ultimately leading to the Mangawhero Falls. Upon reaching the destination, park in the designated turn-off area and make your way down to the riverbed. Here, Sméagol's gleeful pursuit and capture of a fish played out against the backdrop. Gazing toward the waterfall, the rocky stream bed setting is unmistakable. However, for the final film edit, the background hills were substituted with a matte painting depicting grander peaks.
The day of this particular shoot coincided with an unexpected snowfall. After the local fire brigade cleared the snow, Andy Serkis donned a weighty wetsuit and swam across the pool. Reflecting on the experience, Andy recalls Peter Jackson's words, "That was great but let's do it again," all the while pondering if he might succumb to freezing conditions and suffer a heart attack.
The scene portraying Sam and Frodo traversing an open glade alongside a ruined column was filmed just upstream. To access this spot, cross the stream and journey about 50 meters into a small clearing, encircled by trees and featuring a patch of springy grass.