[Water Lily]

Hobbits adamant about New Zealand boltholes
20 December 2002
By TOM CARDY

It was not just a rush of blood to the heads of three hobbits during the glitzy Two Towers premiere in Wellington on Wednesday. The Lord of the Rings stars Elijah Wood, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd are still adamant they will buy houses in New Zealand.


"I want to, eventually, I'd love to," Wood, who plays Frodo, said yesterday. "It's easy (from Los Angeles). It's a sleeper flight, man."

"I live in LA," British actor Monaghan, who plays Merry, said. "And being there 12 months of the year is not good for your mind. And what better place to come to than New Zealand on the other side of the world?"

Exactly where and when is still up in the air. Though Wellington seaside suburb Seatoun is home to director Peter Jackson and an increasing number of movie executives, inner-city suburb Mt Victoria could be the next star magnet. The latest Mt Victoria community newsletter says a Lord of the Rings star has bought a property in Brougham St.

Tommy's real estate salesman and Mt Victoria specialist Bill Mathieson said if the hobbits did buy in the suburb it could raise property values. "If you look at Seatoun there is that sort of feeling that there are people involved in the movie, stars or otherwise . . . and if you look at Seatoun they are getting some premium prices for property there. Mt Victoria would certainly be no different," he said.

Mt Victoria's residential property valuations increased 15.6 per cent on last year, to an average price of $430,200 for a house, according to Quotable Value and Wellington City Council figures issued last month.

Mr Mathieson said Mt Victoria had its own attractions. "Sun and location and character. It is reasonably protected on what you can do to properties there."

Monaghan said he also saw New Zealand as good place to one day bring up his own family. "I don't want to bring them up in America. New Zealand is safe, its ethic of the outdoors, its education system. It's just so much better. I'm going to keep bees, that's what I'm going to do."

Boyd continues to have New Zealand links outside The Lord of the Rings. He has been in Mexico working alongside New Zealand actor Russell Crowe in the Napoleonic navy saga Master and Commander. Special effects unit Weta Workshop in Wellington also worked on the film.

Wood said he would return to Wellington in May or June for finishing touches on The Return of the King, the third in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.