Kakanui Range in the context of "South Island"

In geography, a plain, commonly known as flatland, is a flat expanse of land that generally has few rapid or steep changes in elevation. Natural vegetation in plains can include prairies/grasslands, forests, savanah, tundra, and desert biomes, among others. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and as plateaus or uplands. Plains are one of the major landforms on earth, being present on all continents and covering more than one-third of the world's land area. Plains in many areas are important for agriculture. There are various types of plains, and biomes on them.

The Maniatoto Plain, usually simply known as The Maniatoto, is an elevated inland region in Otago, New Zealand. The region roughly surrounds the upper reaches of the Taieri River and the Manuherikia River. It is bounded by the Kakanui Range to the north and the Rock and Pillar Range to the southeast. It has a harsh, dry climate, ranging from over 30 °C in mid-summer to -15 °C in mid-winter.

The region is sparsely populated, with the largest centres being Ranfurly, Naseby, Wedderburn and Oturehua.

Danseys Pass (often incorrectly referred to as Dansey's Pass or Dansey Pass) (el. 935 m.) is a mountain pass located in the Kakanui Range in the South Island of New Zealand.

The pass itself marks the boundary between Waitaki and Central Otago districts. It also serves as the boundary between the Canterbury and Otago regions. The road lies between the Maniototo plain (part of the Taieri River water catchment) and the northern foothills of the Kakanui Mountains (part of the Waitaki River catchment). Much of the road going over Danseys Pass is unsealed and is occasionally cut directly from the Haast Schist bedrock. The road was constructed for the owners of large sheep runs, the brothers Allan McLean and John McLean.