Canterbury, in New Zealand’s South Island, provides some of the film world’s most dramatic scenery, spectacularly captured in the new movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia.

Flock Hill Station, near the magnificent Arthur’s Pass in Canterbury, was the setting for the climactic final battle between Aslan’s forces and the powerful army of the White Witch, led by the fierce minotaur, General Otman. The battle is one of the most spectacular Hollywood has seen yet, with the two sides riding into battled against the backdrop of the Southern Alps. Arthur’s Pass National Park is known for its wild mountain scenery, which includes glaciers and dramatic waterfalls.

Canterbury’s distinctive high country can be viewed on the world-famous Tranz Alpine Express railway which dissects the Southern Alps from east to west.

Exclusive access to the Flock Hill locations is available via Canterbury Sightseeing Tours. This local tour, in conjunction with Flock Hill Station, is charged with protecting the stunning high country environment in which this movie was filmed.

“It was interesting for me to try and find places that Lord of The Rings hadn’t shot at. I can’t believe they didn’t shoot at Flock Hill, because that was a stunning piece of scenery.”

-  Andrew Adamson, Director

Media Comments:

For Andrew Adamson, director of the new Disney version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, his homeland of New Zealand had the right cinematic, mythical quality for Narnia. If you'd rather make your Narnia pilgrimage there than to Lewis's Ulster, here's where to go. The great battle was filmed at a place called Flock Hill, a dramatic plateau ringed by the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps about an hour and a half's drive from Christchurch on the South Island.
Sunday December 4, 2005
The Observer

Narnia's wintry landscape proved to be a wonderland for American audiences, scoring the second-biggest December opening weekend ever in the US to take the top spot at the box office. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe's debut earnings of $67 m (£38 m) fell just below record-holder The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King's haul of $72.6 m (£41 m) in 2003, but was ahead of the $47 m (£27 m) earned by the trilogy's first instalment, The Fellowship of the Ring, in 2001. In fact, Narnia's opening was so strong that ticket sales figures over the weekend were 17% up on the same period a year ago.
Monday December 12, 2005
The Guardian

It tells the magical story of the Pevensie children, who discover a wardrobe that turns out to be a gateway to the land of Narnia, a frozen winterland of good and evil.Disney's long-awaited £62 m movie is released nationwide on Thursday and is being tipped as the Christmas blockbuster to rival Harry Potter. When Disney scoured the world looking for a location to play Narnia's mythical landscape, they chose New Zealand's fantastical soaring mountains and sun-scorched grassy plains.
Sunday December 4, 2005
The Observer

This Christmas, and perhaps the next six, depending on sequels, everyone will be talking about Narnia.
Paul Harris
Sunday October 16, 2005
The Observer

The Chronicles of Narnia seems to offer a 'perfect storm' combination of factors. It has the special effects and fantasy-laden appeal of The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson's box-office hit that also netted numerous Oscars. That film was also seen as a huge risk at the time, but Jackson's achievement confounded the critics and proved that 'swords and sorcery' movies could strike cinematic gold.
Trailers for the first Narnia film, called The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe after the first book in the chronicles, have already drawn comparisons to The Lord of the Rings' style and cinema presentation. It has the same powerful themes of a new world, complete with fantastic creatures and sweeping battle scenes against a beautiful landscape.
But while Disney has bet big on Narnia and now waits with bated breath, there is already one winner in the saga. The film, just like The Lord of the Rings, was shot in New Zealand, which then reaped a tourism windfall. Now local tour companies are already planning to show visitors around the spot where the Narnia film's climactic battle scene was shot.
Paul Harris
Sunday October 16, 2005
The Observer

Some would argue that it has the best scenery in the world and is the ultimate outdoor destination: marble lakes, peaks of towering ice, lush vineyards, the food, the wine, the wholesome living and adrenalin highs.
Sunday September 25, 2005
The Observer

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe took in a hefty US$41 million from 13 countries during its debut at the foreign box office last weekend, second only to the US$52 million haul of family-friendly rival Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Hy Hollinger - Reuters msn
Wednesday December 14, 2005

Like Lord of The Rings, the awesome scenery is distinctly New Zealand. Most remarkable are the battle scene filmed at Flock Hill Station which shows off New Zealand's uninhabited beauty, and a scene where Aslan strides along a deserted beach which has Aotearoa written all over it.
Claire Ongley – Reuters Msn
Tuesday December 13, 2005

Links:
Disney Pictures - Narnia website
Narnia Movie News
Film South - Christchurch
Canterbury Sightseeing