Castle Hill Village began as a development in 1982 when the then owner of Castle Hill Station, John Reid, conceived a plan to create a high alpine village on an area of farmland near Thomas Bush beneath the Craigieburn Range as a centre for recreational activities in the area. Since its inception the village has grown steadily, with the development of recent subdivisions set to expand the village size significantly.

Castle Hill Village is located in the Canterbury high country 100km west of Christchurch (about one hours car travel on State Highway 73), about 33km west from Springfield over Porters Pass.

The village location is an ideal base for a range of outdoor activities. These include:

Skiing– Four skifields are located along the Craigieburn Range near the village. The Craigieburn Range also offers extensive ski touring possibilities.

Walking/ Tramping/ Climbing– Apart from the walking tracks and climbing routes in the adjacent Craigieburn Forest Park, a range of walks, tramps and climbs are possible in the Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands Park.

Bouldering/ Rock Climbing– The village is located close to both the world renowned Castle Hill (Kura Tāwhiti) and Flock Hill limestone boulder fields.

Mountain Biking– Mountain biking is expanding in the area with the recent development of the Craigieburn Trails track network.

Caving– The cave at Cave Stream Reserve is one of the most outstanding natural features in the Canterbury region.

Fishing– Numerous sports fishing opportunities are available in the high country lakes and rivers in the area. See the Fish and Game New Zealand website for more details.