Danseys Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Danseys Pass |
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Danseys Pass in 2019 after some snow
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| Elevation | 935 m (3,068 ft) |
| Location | New Zealand |
| Range | Kakanui Range |
| Coordinates | 44°57′12″S 170°22′24″E / 44.9532°S 170.3734°E |
 Danseys Pass
Location in New Zealand
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Danseys Pass is a mountain pass found in the Kakanui Range mountains. It's located in the South Island of New Zealand. The pass is 935 meters (about 3,068 feet) above sea level. Sometimes people mistakenly call it Dansey's Pass or Dansey Pass, but the correct name is Danseys Pass.
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About Danseys Pass
Danseys Pass is a special place because it sits right on the border between two areas: the Waitaki and Central Otago districts. It also marks the boundary between the Canterbury and Otago regions.
The road that goes over Danseys Pass connects two different river areas. On one side, it's part of the Taieri River area, which includes the flat Maniototo plain. On the other side, it's part of the Waitaki River area, near the Kakanui Mountains.
Much of the road over Danseys Pass is unsealed, meaning it's not covered with asphalt or concrete. Parts of it are even cut directly into the hard rock called Haast Schist. This road was originally built for the owners of large sheep farms, two brothers named Allan McLean and John McLean.
Why is Danseys Pass Important?
Even though Danseys Pass isn't a major highway, it's a useful connection for people traveling in the area. It links the towns of Naseby and Ranfurly in the south with Duntroon in inland Canterbury.
The pass also serves as an important detour. If State Highway 1 (a main road) is closed between Hampden and Moeraki, Danseys Pass is the closest way around. However, taking this detour adds more than 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) to the journey!
Danseys Pass: The Place and the Inn
It can be a bit confusing because the name "Danseys Pass" refers to a few different things. There's a small place called Danseys Pass located about halfway between the actual mountain pass and Duntroon. This area is in the Waitaki District.
However, the old and famous Danseys Pass Coach Inn (also known as Danseys Pass Hotel) is not in that same spot. It's on the western side of the pass, in the Central Otago District. This historic hotel is found in a place called Kyeburn Diggings or Upper Kyeburn, which is north of Kyeburn.
Who Was William Heywood Dansey?
The pass and its road are named after a man called William Heywood Dansey. He was a farmer who leased land in the Otekaike area from 1857 to 1871.
In 1855, William Dansey and three friends were the first Europeans to cross this mountain pass. They were exploring and looking for new land in the Maniototo district. Because of his journey, the pass was named in his honor.
