Last updated October 2026
Springfield is a rural suburb in the Whangārei District, spread along Springfield Road south of the city. It is open farming and lifestyle country, not a township with a main street, shops or a beach. The local meeting place is Springfield Hall, on the site of the old Springfield School at 602 Springfield Road.
Whangarei District Council lists that address as Springfield, Whangārei 0178, and groups Springfield with Mangapai, Waiotira and Waikiekie when it reports southern rural land values. The way in is Springfield Road from State Highway 1, with the road running on to Kukunui Road. Come for the quiet rural setting, not for a walk, a swim or a row of cafés.
Official Suburb Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 350, up 10% since 2018
- Land area
- 26.81 km²
- Location
- 18.4 km south of central Whangārei
- Council
- Whangarei District Council
- Getting there
- Springfield Road, from its intersection with State Highway 1 through to Kukunui Road. No public bus route was confirmed.
- Schools
- No school is operating in Springfield. Springfield Hall stands on the site of the old Springfield School.
- Nearby landmarks
- Springfield Hall and Springfield Domain, 602 Springfield Road
Who Lives in Springfield
About 350 residents in 120 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
About Springfield
Springfield sits in the southern rural part of the Whangārei District. Properties are spaced along Springfield Road and side roads, with pasture, shelter belts and lifestyle blocks rather than a built-up centre. There is no verified Māori name for the suburb, and no published history that pins down why the English name was chosen. Treat it as a working rural locality, not as a visitor attraction in its own right.
Community life centres on the hall and domain at 602 Springfield Road. Whangarei District Council lists Springfield Hall among the district’s community halls and gives that Springfield address. The hall is not one of the six halls the council owns. Bookings are handled by volunteers through the Springfield Domain Board.
The Citizens Advice Bureau listing, which the council links to, describes the hall as the old Springfield School, south of Whangārei, with room for about 60 people. The same listing says the hall and bathrooms are wheelchair accessible, and that the grounds are used for school camps, guides and scouts.
Day-to-day services are elsewhere. No shopping centre, supermarket or operating school was confirmed inside Springfield. Residents travel out for groceries, health care and schooling, using State Highway 1 toward Whangārei or toward the southern towns.
Council road notices treat Springfield Road, Springfield, as a named locality in postcode 0178, including the stretch from State Highway 1 to the Kukunui Road intersection.
Do not confuse this Springfield with other similarly named places. Springhead is a heritage house in Whangārei itself, listed by Heritage New Zealand, and is not this rural suburb. Springs Flat is a northern urban-edge area near Te Kamo.
A council parks page has also used a Springfield postcode for Matakohe-Limestone Island in Whangārei Harbour; that island is a separate place, reached by boat, and is not part of this inland rural suburb.
Getting Around
Springfield is a drive-in locality. Springfield Road leaves State Highway 1 and continues to Kukunui Road. Local addresses use Springfield Road and nearby roads such as Holland Road, Knagg Road and Ormiston Road. No town bus, train or ferry service was confirmed for the suburb, so plan on a private vehicle.
Parts of Springfield Road are sometimes closed for motorsport. Whangarei District Council has issued temporary closures for Northland Car Club events on the section from 7.5 kilometres along Springfield Road from State Highway 1 to the Kukunui Road intersection, with emergency services still able to use the road and residents able to pass by arrangement with the organiser. Check the council road closures page before you travel if an event is on.
The road is a rural route through farms and lifestyle properties. There is no verified public walking track, beach access or reserve network inside the suburb. For bush walks, waterfalls and coastal tracks, use Department of Conservation information for the wider Whangārei area rather than expecting a trackhead here.
Community Facilities
Springfield Hall and Springfield Domain share 602 Springfield Road. The domain board hires the hall and grounds. Council directs people to the Citizens Advice Bureau directory for volunteer contact details, because it does not manage bookings for this hall. Hire fees change, so confirm the current charge with the board rather than relying on an old listing.
Whangarei District Libraries has published a mobile library stop called Springfield Domain, at the same 602 Springfield Road address, described as a short roadside stop. That listings page was not available when this guide was checked, so confirm days and times with the library before you make a special trip.
There is no verified local shop, café strip, medical centre or marae inside Springfield. The nearest community halls in the council list include Mangapai Hall on McAlister Road and Portland Hall on Portland Road. Those are separate communities. Use them as a reminder that southern rural life here is organised around small halls, not around a suburban centre.
Where to Learn More
Whangarei District Council: community halls: official list confirming Springfield Hall at 602 Springfield Road, Springfield, and how volunteer bookings work.
Whangarei District Council: wards map: address search for the general ward and the district-wide Māori ward that cover a Springfield property.
Citizens Advice Bureau: Springfield Domain Board: hall and camp hire notes for the old Springfield School site, including access and capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Springfield part of Whangārei?
Yes. It is a LINZ suburb in the Whangarei District, south of the city, with addresses in postcode 0178. It is rural, not part of the urban centre.
How do I get to Springfield?
Drive State Highway 1 south of Whangārei and turn onto Springfield Road. The road continues to the Kukunui Road intersection. No public bus route was confirmed.
Is there a school or shop in Springfield?
No operating school or shopping centre was confirmed. Springfield Hall occupies the old Springfield School site. Groceries, schooling and other services mean a drive to Whangārei or to nearby towns.
Where is Springfield Hall?
At 602 Springfield Road, Springfield, Whangārei 0178, on the Springfield Domain. It is run by the Springfield Domain Board, not as one of the council-owned halls.
Can I hire the hall?
Yes, through the volunteer domain board. The Citizens Advice Bureau listing says the hall holds about 60 people and is wheelchair accessible, including the bathrooms. Confirm fees and availability directly, because charges change.
Which council ward is Springfield in?
That was not confirmed for the whole suburb from a published boundary description. Use the Whangarei District Council wards map and search a street address. The district also has a Māori ward for voters on the Māori roll.
Which hapū or iwi is Springfield connected to?
No single affiliation was confirmed for this locality. Across the wider district, hapū connections include Te Parawhau, Patuharakeke, Ngāti Wai and Ngāti Hine. Check Māori Maps or the relevant marae rather than assuming one group covers Springfield.
Is this the same place as Springhead or Springs Flat?
No. Springhead is a listed historic house in Whangārei. Springs Flat is a northern suburb near Te Kamo. Springfield is the rural area on Springfield Road south of the city.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Explore Whangārei only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Springfield is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.