Poolburn Dam (Poolburn Reservoir) is a remote and beautiful destination in Central Otago in New Zealand. Although it’s not easy to get to, it’s well worth it to visit the area. Poolburn was the site of a number of Lord of the Rings film locations, mainly in Rohan in the Two Towers. Poolburn was one of Peter Jackson’s favorite film locations! There was barely any information available online about visiting, with varying descriptions of the access road and with just a few pins on GoogleMaps (including the leaf broof gully).

Visiting Poolburn Dam is one of the best LOTR experiences I’ve had in New Zealand – it’s not easy to access, but it’s incredible! Here’s my complete guide for visiting Poolburn Dam, and how to see all the Lord of the Rings film locations here on a tour with the landowners.

Where is Poolburn Dam?

Poolburn Dam is located in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. It’s approximately 60km from Alexandra, 85km from Cromwell, and 210km from Oamaru. It’s a remote part of the country; getting there from any major city will take some time. But it’s a gorgeous and peaceful place. And if you love Lord of the Rings, you need to add this spot on your New Zealand itinerary!

Can I Drive to Poolburn Dam in a 2WD?

Old Dunstan Road, which goes from Moa Creek to Poolburn Dam, is an unsealed road. An AWD or 4WD vehicle is strongly recommended, as the track is bumpy and rocky, with some uneven parts that are uphill/downhill. A van with low clearance might struggle on these bits in particular. There was one slightly muddy dip, which was fine in dry weather and likely would have been manageable by most vehicles. I highly recommend having a 4WD or AWD vehicle to drive on this road.

However, you can probably drive most 2WD vehicles to Poolburn Dam in good weather, if you go very slowly and very carefully. That’s a lot of variables though! It’s about 10km from Moa Creek to the dam, and it’ll take about half an hour. Note that the road is closed to all traffic in winter, from June to September. After you first reach the reservoir, the track gets really bumpy and rough – you definitely need an AWD/4WD vehicle then.

The difficulty in accessing Poolburn Dam was really tricky for the cast and crew when filming Lord of the Rings. Everyone got picked up by 4WDs to get taken to the set, which meant very long days! They often started at 5am and finished at 8pm.

How to Book a Lord of the Rings Tour to Poolburn Dam

I only found out these tours existed the night before I went, from an obscure review of a GoogleMaps pin! I asked both Sue and Sarah if they’d be happy for me to share the tour and contact details on my site, to make it easier for people to book, and they were both fine with this. Somehow, I managed to get on a tour by contacting Sarah the morning of my tour (what a stroke of luck!!) and showed up about two hours later. But I highly recommend contacting them with plenty of notice to book a tour in advance. The above photo is from their tour brochure.

You can contact Sue and Sarah at Bonspiel Station (the landowners for the area around Poolburn Dam) by phone or email:

• Phone: (+64) 034474205
• Email: sarahmfalconer@yahoo.com.au

Poolburn Lord of the Rings Tour: Practical Information

Tours cost $200 NZD and last between 2-3 hours. How much the tour will cost each person depends on how many people are going! If there are only two people, it’ll be $100 per person, but if there are four it’ll be just $50 per person. I believe there is a maximum of four people per tour, as there are only four other seats in the car. The length of the tour really depends on how many photos people want, and how long you spend at each location! Sue made it clear that there was absolutely no rush. She was happy for all of us to take as many photos as we wanted and enjoy our experience.

The starting point is the homestead at Moa Creek – follow directions to this GoogleMaps pin and turn off at the Bonspiel Station sign. There’s about 3km of unsealed roads to get to Moa Creek, but this was a very well-maintained road and suitable for any vehicle. We drove to Poolburn Dam in a Honda CR-V, which managed the road and our off-road tracks just fine.

Lord of the Rings Film Locations at Poolburn

There are a number of LOTR film spots at Poolburn, which any fan will want to visit! The scenes filmed here were used as Rohan in the movies. It was great taking the tour with Sue, as she told us about watching the crew (and meeting Peter Jackson!) when they were filming – although at the time, the crew didn’t say they were filming Lord of the Rings, just that they were filming a movie. Here is a list of the LOTR scenes filmed around Poolburn Dam:

• Eomer surrounds Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli

I never would have known that this rock was where this scene was filmed, if I hadn’t been with Sue! It’s where Eomer and his riders (having just been banished) surround the trio:

Eomer: “What business does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly.”

Gimli: “Give me your name horse-master, and I shall give you mine.”

Eomer: “I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground.”

Legolas: “You would die before your stroke fell!”

Aragorn then defuses the situation and explains to Eomer that they’re chasing the Uruk-hai who have captured Merry and Pippin.

• Eomer and the riders departing

This scene was filmed very close by to the above scene where Eomer suspiciously questions the trio. His riders leave Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and ride away into the distance.

• “They’re taking the hobbits to Isengard”

Any true LOTR fan will know exactly why this scene is so special: 18 years ago, at the dawn of Youtube, a fan gifted us his creation of a remix to this line. It’s become real nerdlore over time, and Orlando Bloom even reenacted it when he was filming the Hobbit movies! This is truly one of the most iconic film spots of the entire series.

Aragorn: “Tell me Legolas, what do your elf eyes see?”

Legolas: “The Uruks turn northeast. They’re taking the hobbits to Isengard.”

Aragorn: “Saruman.”

• Aragorn listening to the ground

This scene, a closeup of Aragorn’s face as he is listening to the tremors in the ground, was also filmed near Poolburn Dam. Sue knows the exact rock they used for this scene, near the gully.

Aragorn: “Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!”

• Elvish brooch scenes

This gully is one of the most special LOTR film locations around Poolburn – I’m so grateful I was able to visit here on this tour! It’s where the Uruk-hai, with the captive Merry and Pippin, stop because they smell “man-flesh” and Pippin manages to detach his distinctive leaf brooch (a gift from the Elven queen Galadriel in Lothlorien) and drop it in the ground. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli then find it not long after, and know that the hobbits might still be alive.

Aragorn: “Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall.”

Legolas: “They may yet be alive.”

• Gimli falling in the gully

The gully was also used for the humorous scene where Gimli falls down on the trail. Sue pointed out the exact spot where John Rhys-Davies rolled over, and another fan on the tour recreated the scene!

Gimli: “I’m wasted on cross country. We dwarves are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances.”

• Poolburn Dam (the reservoir itself)

The body of water was used to depict the burning of the Westfold at the start of Two Towers, where a villager, Morwen, sends her children, Eothain and Freda, away to safety. The small fishing houses dotted around the reservoir were disguised as village huts in filming! Sue will take you to the exact location on the dam where they filmed these scenes.

Can I See the LOTR Locations at Poolburn Without a Tour?

The only Lord of the Rings film location you can see at Poolburn without booking a tour is the dam itself. This is public access. So, you can go if you have the right vehicle to drive down Old Dunstan Road to get to the reservoir. However, you probably won’t be able to pinpoint the exact shot of the LOTR scene filmed here (the burning of the Westfold) without a guide. And as the rest of the film locations are all on private property, you won’t be able to see any other locations in the area. Sue had to open gates to get to the spots, and there are fences prohibiting access from the road. Please respect the landowners, and please do not trespass on private property.

I absolutely recommend taking a tour with Sue to be able to access all of the spots, and benefit from her local knowledge! So, technically yes, you can see a LOTR film location at Poolburn Dam without a tour. But for all the trouble of getting there you’d be much better off booking a tour and getting the full experience.

Where to Stay Around Poolburn Dam

Sue and Sarah run an Airbnb on Bonspiel Station, if you want the experience of staying in a rustic mining cottage! Sarah showed me the historic cottage when I came for the tour – it dates back to the 1850s, with no power and a long-drop toilet. But the peaceful surroundings of the countryside make it a special and unique place to stay. Book it on Airbnb here. There is also a modern cottage (with electricity, water, normal amenities, etc) on the station that you can book through Airbnb, too. Two of the fishing huts on the dam are also available to book, if you want a relaxed getaway. I’m not sure how to book these, but contact Sue or Sarah and they’ll be able to help.

Further out, your best bet for accommodation is the Poolburn Adventure Hub. In nearby Ophir, there’s Blacks Hotel or this cute one-bedroom apartment, St Andrews Church Vestry. Alexandra is probably the most convenient place to stay for a visit to Poolburn Dam. Here are a few top-rated options in town:

• Alexandra Motor Lodge NZ – clean and comfortable units in a convenient location
• Almond Court Motel – modern self-contained apartments, with an outdoor heated pool in summer
• ‘The Crib’ on Legacy Vineyard – a cute and cozy chalet just outside of town, with a beautiful garden
• Grey Ridge Vine Experience – a plush B&B in a unique setting on a vineyard, with welcoming and friendly hosts

I stayed at a free camp outside of Cromwell the night before I visited called Champagne Gully. This was a great free spot for non-self-contained and self-contained vehicles alike. There are flush toilets, sinks (water needs to be boiled before drinking though), and large rubbish bins. There are great views across the water. It’s right below the road, so there will be noise from traffic – but this died down around 8/9pm and it was quiet the rest of the night.

Visiting Poolburn Dam on a Lord of the Rings tour and seeing the film locations was one of the best LOTR experiences I’ve had in New Zealand. The setting is magnificently beautiful. Its quiet remoteness and peaceful atmosphere is what attracted Peter Jackson to the area in the first place. Going on a tour gave me the opportunity to access unique LOTR film spots on private property, that I never would have even known existed, or been able to access, if I wasn’t on the tour! I highly recommend contacting Sue and Sarah to book a LOTR tour. Poolburn Dam is always going to be a special place for me, and I’m so grateful I got the chance to experience it.

Have you visited Poolburn before? What was your experience like?

You might like my posts:

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All of my New Zealand posts!

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