Manuka Downs, North Canterbury : botanical assessment

Manuka Downs is a coastal property in North Canterbury, between the Hurunui and Blythe Rivers. The farm occupies a land surface of uplifted sediments mantled with loess and subsequently dissected by several small streams that have cut deep channels through the sediments close to the coast. Altitudes range from about 30-150 m above sea level. Manuka Downs covers about 1 000 acres and of this area about one third supports more or less dense kanuka low forest with associated hardwood species in gullies and manuka along disturbed margins. This large area of kanuka (often called white manuka) has undoubtedly given rise to the name of the farm. It is certainly the largest area of continuous kanuka in the Motunau Ecological District, and probably in the whole of North Canterbury.