Amuri Plain

The Amuri Plain (also known as the Amuri Basin) is the northernmost extension of New Zealand's Canterbury Plains. It lies between the Waiau Uwha and Hurunui Rivers and is centred on the town of Culverden. Other population centres on the plain include Rotherham.[1] The plains cover approximately 60,000 hectares (150,000 acres).

The southernmost part of the plain, close to the Hurunui River, is heavily planted in exotic trees (the Balmoral Forest); further north the land is pastoral, and is largely used for sheep and dairy farming. Farming was greatly assisted by the construction of a major irrigation scheme which began in 1977.[2] This also led to growth in the population of the service town of Culverden.[3]

  1. ^ "Amuri Plain Archived 2022-02-18 at the Wayback Machine," NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  2. ^ Wilson, J., "Canterbury region: Agriculture after 1900 Archived 2021-11-20 at the Wayback Machine," Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 6 July 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  3. ^ Wilson, J., "Canterbury places: Amuri district Archived 2021-12-05 at the Wayback Machine," Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 17 August 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2022.