Springfield

Springfield is known as the gateway to the Southern Alps. Originally it was called Kowai Pass – with no kowhai trees to be found in local bush and no ‘h' in the original name, historians think the name was originally Ko Wai, meaning “of rivers or water”. Postal authorities took matters into their hands and renamed it Springfield to avoid confusion with Amberley's Kowai Road.

The discovery of gold on the West Coast brought traffic through the town and helped its early development. However, it was the discovery of coal and clay for pottery that saw it grow. The Springfield Colliery and Pottery Works became one of the largest coal-mining enterprises in Canterbury.

The railway led to another spike in growth for the town but a large flood in the 1890s, along with the realisation that it was uneconomical to produce bricks so far from Christchurch, saw the industry decline and the population fall. These days, Springfield is a much smaller town yet it still has much to recommend it. Famous New Zealander Rewi Alley was born in Springfield, and there are many outdoor attractions on its doorstep.