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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Valleys and plains

Valleys and plains.

In spite of its extremely broken character, Otago contains a considerable expanse of level country, and many wide and fertile valleys lie between the numerous ranges of hills. The Upper Clutha valley, thirty-three miles by five miles; the Manuherikia valley between the Raggedy Range and the Dunstan Mountains, thirty-five miles by four miles; the Idaburn valley, west of Naseby, twenty-five miles by four miles; the Maniototo plain on the Upper Taieri, twenty-eight miles by ten miles, are the chief stretches of plain on the interior. Near the coast the Taieri plain, a reclaimed swamp, which is about the size of the Idaburn valley, is famed for its fertility. The Waitaki plains along the northern border, the Tokomairiro plains, south of the Taieri, the Strath Taieri, the Tapanui, in the Clutha valley, and the alluvial tract of Inch-Clutha, lying between the arms of the Clutha river, Include some of the best agricultural and pastoral land in the South Island. South of the Clutha, towards the sea, there is a good deal of down country, rising and failling well adapted for sheep.

In Southland the valleys through which the numerous rivers run generally widen out into broad flats, which often merit the title of plains. The Mataura, Oreti, Waiau, and Aparima, with their tributaries, all run through alluvial flats of this nature. Apart from these river valleys, there is in the south and centre, a considerable area of open tussock land in its natural state, and a large extent of marsh land, interspersed here and there with peat-bogs. In the interior the chief plains are the Waimea plain, north of the Hokonui hills; Five Rivers plain, at the foot of the Eyre Mountains; and the Taringatura and Wairaki Downs.