Aratiatia Rapids

Aratiatia Road, Rotokawa, NZ

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Aratiatia Rapids stood in as Forest River in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

A Waikato River dam-release site on Aratiatia Road near Taupō. Rapids run on a schedule in summer — check Mercury Energy for release times before visiting.

Movie scenes filmed here

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug2013Wide white-water shots of the barrel chase were filmed during scheduled dam releases on the Waikato River and cut together with the calmer Pelorus and Aorere stretches.

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