NZ in February 03

I've been reading especially NZ in the Spring and am starting to plan my own trip. I will be going to a conference in Melbourne 2/23/03 and plan to add personal time in NZ before and just see the lower right corner of AU - Melbourne, penguins, Sydney, Tasminia, train to Alice Springs and home to SJC. I'm gong to be using an AA/Quantas award ticket and I'm having a hard time figuring out how best to use it. I can open-jaw, and have three stops. One will be the landing airport in NZ, one will be MEL. And I can either use Quantas or buy an airpass if I need to do more flying. So, ...

I want only two places to unpack/sleep in NZ - and then day trips by foot, bus, train, ferry, helicopter, .... I don't want to drive, am not much of a bar person, am I am interested in the Maori culture, NZ culture, and scenic views (or walks, not hikes). I have invitations to meet people in AKL, CHC, and Wellington and will want to accept at least one, so one of those will be one of the two bases where I'll sleep. This will likely be my only trip to either NZ or AU.

I'm looking at TranzCoastal and TranzApline trains, Picton-Wellington ferry, a bus trip to Milford Sound, Rotorua, Bay of Islands and Caitlins (mentioned here).

Everything sounds glorious, and the decisions will be based on the logistics, which schedules coordinate the best.

Where's best to fly into from the US? And out from to MEL? And how best to get from the one to the other?

I'm feeling overwhelmed with ideas and insufficient knowledge of the transportation options. I'd like some help.

Thanks,

Sylvia