Some of the most fertile land in the southwestern North Island

North Island

The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 is located on the floodplains of the Manawatu

Manawatu River

The Manawatu River is a major river of the southern North Island of New Zealand.The river has its headwaters to the northwest of Norsewood in the Ruahine Ranges of southern Hawke's Bay. It flows initially eastward before turning south-west near Ormondville, flowing 40 km before turning...

 and Rangitikei River

Rangitikei River

The Rangitikei River is one of New Zealand's longest rivers, 185 kilometers long.Its headwaters are to the southeast of Lake Taupo in the Kaimanawa Ranges. It flows from the Central Plateau south past Taihape, Mangaweka, Hunterville, Marton, and Bulls, to the South Taranaki Bight at Tangimoana, 40...

s, in an area known as the Manawatu Plains.

Stretching from the northern Horowhenua around Levin

Levin, New Zealand

Levin is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand, and is the largest town in the Horowhenua district. It is 90 kilometres north of Wellington, 50 kilometres south of Palmerston North, and two kilometres to the east of Lake Horowhenua....

 in the south to Marton

Marton, New Zealand

Marton is the hub of the Rangitikei district of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is situated 35 kilometres southeast of Wanganui and 40 kilometres northwest of Palmerston North. The population was 4752 .-History:...

 in the north, this great triangular area of low-lying land extends inland from the South Taranaki Bight

South Taranaki Bight

The South Taranaki Bight is the name given to the large bay which extends south and east from the south coast of Taranaki in New Zealand's North Island. With more symmetry than poetry or originality, it is matched by the North Taranaki Bight to the north of Cape Egmont.The size of the bight...

 almost as far as Ashhurst

Ashhurst

Ashhurst is a small town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand's North Island.-Location, features:Ashhurst is sited 14 kilometres northeast of the city of Palmerston North and is a small rural town....

 at the mouth of the Manawatu Gorge

Manawatu Gorge

The Manawatu Gorge runs between the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand, linking the Manawatu and Hawke's Bay regions...

, and covers an area of around 1000 km².

In the south, around Lake Horowhenua

Lake Horowhenua

Lake Horowhenua is located in the Horowhenua, an area of the southern Manawatu-Wanganui region in New Zealand's North Island. It covers an area of 3.9 square kilometres....

, the plains were once an extensive wetland, which has been largely drained and turned into profitable dairy farming

Dairy farming

Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.Most dairy farms...

 land. There are conservation moves in progress to restore some of these wetlands to their former state.

Further north, the plains provide the basis for the economy which drives the city of Palmerston North

Palmerston North

Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...

 and the towns of Foxton

Foxton, New Zealand

Foxton is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand. The 2006 census population was 2715.It is located on the lower west coast of the North Island, in the Horowhenua district, 30 kilometres southwest of Palmerston North and 15 kilometres north of Levin. The town is located close to the...

, Feilding

Feilding, New Zealand

Feilding is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 54, 20 kilometres north of Palmerston North....

 and Bulls

Bulls, New Zealand

Bulls is a small town near Palmerston North on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is in a thriving farming area in the Rangitikei District at the junction of State Highways 1 and 3 about 160 kilometres north of Wellington...

, all of which rely on the agricultural dollar to an extent.

As floodplain

Floodplain

A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...

s, the land is not always entirely dry land, and although the area receives slightly below the national average rainfall, floods can occur, as happened most recently around the township of Tangimoana

Tangimoana

Tangimoana is a community in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island of New Zealand. It had a population of 290 permanent residents in 2001. It is located 15 kilometres southwest of Bulls, and 30 kilometres west of Palmerston North....

in early 2004.