Lord of the Rings filming location in Otago listed for sale
Thursday 1 October 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Peter Jackson, Bayleys
A 901-hectare property near the Poolburn Reservoir has been put on the market for the first time in over 25 years. The Central Otago land, which featured in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, is being listed for $3.5 million.
Key facts
5 facts
- The property is 901.06 hectares and is located between Ida Valley and Maniototo.
- The asking price is $3.5 million, plus GST if any.
- The land was used in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
- The property has not been on the market for over 25 years.
- The Old Dunstan Road is only accessible between October and June.
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
A 901.06-hectare freehold property in Central Otago that was used as a filming location for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers has been put on the market. The land is situated between the Ida Valley and Maniototo on the Old Dunstan Road, adjacent to the Poolburn Reservoir. It is being offered for $3.5 million, plus GST if any.
The site was used by filmmaker Peter Jackson to depict Rohan Village due to its expansive vistas and rock formations. Two unwarranted structures from the film production remain on the land, though property rights exist that could allow them to be revitalised. Bayleys agent John Greenwood suggested the existing dwelling site would be an ideal setting for a lodge.
The property provides complete access to the Poolburn Reservoir, which was created during the Great Depression to supply irrigation to the Ida Valley. The reservoir is a destination for brown trout fishing via fly, spinning, and trolling. Access is provided via the Old Dunstan Road, an 1860s gold miners' route that is only open as a seasonal driving route from October to June.
This is the first time the land has been marketed in more than 25 years. Auckland-based owners have decided to find a new custodian for the holding. Greenwood noted that properties of this scale combining remoteness, landscape quality, and water access rarely reach the market.
Where reports differ
- One report specifies the land area as 901.06 hectares, while the other rounds it to 901ha.
Compiled from reports by Stuff and NZ Herald.