The Hakataramea Valley is located north of Kurow midway between the east coast and the Mackenzie Basin. It is bounded on the east by the Hunter Hills and the west by the Kirkliston Range, which rises to 1800 metres. The catchment is 56 km long with an average width of 21 km, and drains 800 km2. Almost half the area is in terraces and fans, 20% hills and 30% high country. the dry eastern parts of the valley have less than 500 mm of rain, but rainfall increases rapidly with altitude to about 1000 mm on the mountains in the west. Summers are normally hot and dry with about 80 days of moisture deficit. Winters can be long with heavy frosts. Because of these great variations in climate and topography every farm has its own possibilities and problems. Moa hunters were the first inhabitants of the area. European settlement saw the valley split into a few large runs. Subdivision followed and there are now 55 properties with an average size of around 600 ha. Cropping was widespread on some of the rich farms on the lower west side but sheep, followed by cattle, are now the major source of farmers' income. The exceptions are the two or three cropping-grain and grass seed and/ or two large-scale deer properties.
