Country New Zealand Territorial authority Local time Friday 1:28 AM | Region Canterbury Postcode 7681 Area code 03 | |
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Time zone New Zealand Standard Time (UTC+12) Weather 11°C, Wind N at 13 km/h, 84% Humidity | ||
Springfield (until 1880 Kowai Pass) is a small town in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, in the South Island, of New Zealand. In 2001 it had a population of 219. At the foot of the Southern Alps, 65 kilometres (40 mi) west of Christchurch, it is the most westerly town of the central Canterbury Plains. Springfield has a long association with the Midland railway line.
Map of Springfield, New Zealand
Springfield is situated in the foothills, less than an hour from the center of Christchurch on State Highway 73 (The Great Alpine Highway).
The town has a Gothic Revival architecture church dedicated to Saint Peter, designed by the architect Cyril Mountfort. It was the birthplace of Rewi Alley, notable for his work in China in the mid 20th century. There is an extensive memorial dedicated to him, located in a small reserve off the main road. It includes a large stone carving and a number of panels giving details of his life.
On 15 July 2007, a statue of a giant pink doughnut was erected to promote the upcoming movie, The Simpsons Movie. It was subsequently set alight and destroyed by an arsonist on 25 September 2009. A tyre painted pink was used as a substitute until it was replaced with a concrete version unveiled on 1 July 2012.
Springfield is a significant stop on the TranzAlpine train journey across the Southern Alps on the Midland Line. The town also home to the Midland Rail Heritage Trust a rail preservation group that has established a base in the former NZR locomotive depot opposite the railway station.