Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday and our latest Xena entry! In this month’s post, I’m sharing pictures from my March trip to New Zealand, where I visited a handful of the outdoor filming locations used by both Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. This post highlights a few individual locations (with my pictures) alongside notable scenes shot there.
The Sturges Lot
Sturges was the company’s backlot from 1995 until 1998-ish. There were castles and villages and footpaths — along with a lake (Panorama Lake) that’s still around. Today, the area is a housing development, but street names like Xena Way and Hercules Drive honor the site’s history.
Hercules, S03E14: “When A Man Loves A Woman”
Hercules, S03E15: “Judgment Day”
Xena, S03E03: “The Dirty Half Dozen”
Xena, S04E05: “A Good Day”
Bethells Beach
About 90% of all beach scenes were shot here at Bethells. The distinctive rock, black sand, and infamous cave (used as Callisto’s lair in “Return Of Callisto”) make it an unforgettable spot.
Hercules, S01E08: “The March To Freedom”
Hercules, S02E17: “The Apple”
Hercules, S02E22: “The Power”
Xena, S02E05: “Return Of Callisto”
Xena, S02E08: “Ten Little Warlords”
Xena, S02E11: “Here She Comes… Miss Amphipolis”
Xena, S02E12: “Destiny”
Xena, S02E19: “Ulysses”
Hercules, S04E02: “Hero’s Heart”
Hercules, S04E19: “War Wounds”
Xena, S03E19: “Tsunami”
Hercules, S05E03: “Resurrection”
Xena, S05E08: “Little Problems”
Xena, S05E22: “Motherhood”
Xena, S06E15: “To Helicon And Back”
Wainamu Dunes/Stream
Located near the beach, these gorgeous black sand dunes, with a little stream at the bottom, are some of the most breathtaking locations ever used. You’ll recognize lots of scenes here.
Hercules, S01E02: “Eye Of The Beholder”
Xena, S01E02: “Chariots Of War”
Xena, S01E22: “Callisto”
Hercules, S03E01: “Mercenary”
Xena, S02E05: “Return Of Callisto”
Xena, S03E04: “The Deliverer”
Hercules, S04E19: “War Wounds”
Xena, S03E21: “Sacrifice (I)”
Hercules, S05E01: “Faith”
Xena, S04E01: “Adventures In The Sin Trade (I)”
Hercules, S05E22: “Revelations”
Hercules, S06E08: “Full Circle”
Xena, S05E09: “Seeds Of Faith”
Xena, S05E13: “Eternal Bonds”
Xena, S06E15: “To Helicon And Back”
Wainamu Lake
Beyond the dunes rests a gorgeous hidden lake — the one from which Xena fished in “Fins, Femmes, And Gems” and went down to Hades in “Mortal Beloved.”
Xena, S01E16: “Mortal Beloved”
Hercules, S03E05: “Not Fade Away”
Xena, S03E18: “Fins, Femmes, And Gems”
Xena, S03E21: “Sacrifice (I)”
Hercules, S05E19: “Once Upon A Future King”
Hercules, S06E08: “Full Circle”
Maori Bay
This is a popular surf beach, so it was only used (to my knowledge) once — for the fake wagon crash sequence in Xena‘s “Looking Death In The Eye.”
Xena, S05E19: “Looking Death In The Eye”
Cable Road
Woodhill Forest, located near Moari Bay, is a location both shows used for many of their wooded scenes — lots of Amazon episodes were shot in this area. One particular trail, Cable Road, a path now overgrown and trodden mostly by horses, features several identifiable sights.
Xena, S04E02: “Adventures In The Sin Trade (II)”
Hercules, S05E14: “Just Passing Through”
Xena, S04E20: “Endgame”
Xena, S05E05: “Them Bones, Them Bones”
Xena, S06E01: “Coming Home”
Mangere Domain
Not far from Downtown Auckland is the gorgeous Mangere Domain, which has Mangere Mountain, a large volcanic cone with a series of accompanying craters. This awe-inspiring location looks more Greek than some others — and was used often in the early years.
Hercules, S01E06: “As Darkness Falls”
Hercules, S01E09: “The Warrior Princess”
Xena, S01E08: “Prometheus”
Xena, S01E09: “Death In Chains”
Hercules, S02E12: “The Sword Of Veracity”
Hercules, S02E13: “The Enforcer”
Xena, S01E19: “Altared States”
Xena, S04E08: “Crusader”
Hercules, S05E19: “Once Upon A Future King”
Hercules, S05E22: “Revelations”
Xena, S06E18: “When Fates Collide”
Come back next Wednesday for another Wildcard post! And tune in on Tuesday for more Wings!
This is so cool to see. I started watching the series on Hulu because of your blog. S1 was rough for a bit, but I’m in 2 and i’m in love.
Hi, Deb! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I’m so very happy to know that; thank you! You’ve made my day.
What an awesome post! Thanks for all your photos (and the screen grabs of corresponding episodes).
Did you find the site of the crooked tree? Or the waterfall?
Hi, Agent 86! Thanks for reading and commenting.
The tree in “Altared States” is at Mangere (and I think I found which one they used); I don’t know where the “Eve” tree is. I didn’t see any of the waterfalls, but the “Many Happy Returns” site isn’t far from Cable Road.
That ‘No Exit’ for ‘Xena Way’ is brilliant.
It basically means ‘Dead End’, which is what happened with Xena.
Wonder if they were aware of that or just coincidence.
Hi, Tate! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Just coincidence, I’m sure.
Great post. I am visiting New Zealand in February and want to see some of these places. Did you go on your own or get a tour guide?
Hi, Tony! Thanks for reading and commenting.
We had a driver who knew the area, but there are no particular XENA tours to my knowledge — we were our own guides in that regard.