Springfield (Māori: Tawera), called Kowai Pass until 1880, is a small town in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, in the South Island, of New Zealand.

Springfield is situated in the foothills of the Southern Alps as the most westerly town of the Canterbury Plains.

[5] The town has a Gothic Revival architecture church dedicated to Saint Peter, designed by the architect Cyril Mountfort.

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.

A tyre painted pink was used as a substitute until it was replaced with a concrete version unveiled on 1 July 2012.

In 2019, the town gained unwanted attention in the national and international media when the Springfield Store and Café was dubbed the rudest café in New Zealand and the police visited offering customer service advice.

[11][12] On 29 May 2021, most of the township of Springfield was evacuated due to flooding from continuous heavy rain.

[13][14] Springfield is a significant stop on the TranzAlpine train journey across the Southern Alps on the Midland Line.

[15] The Springfield Hotel was a stop on the road west from Christchurch for horse-drawn coaches.

Springfield is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, and covers 1.89 km2 (0.73 sq mi).

[17] Torlesse statistical area, which also includes Sheffield and Waddington, covers 414.28 km2 (159.95 sq mi).