Dairy cattle
The plains are an area of once swampy land, which was drained by the early settlers, such as the Morrin brothers in the late 18th century and is now intensively farmed. Dairy cattle, sheep, grain and maize are all farmed here, but it is dairy farming that is the staple of the local economy. The lower plain is also known for vineyards, and the middle plain has some of the southern hemisphere's top thoroughbred stables, notably around the towns of Cambridge and Matamata.