Originally Posted by
Happy
3) the secondary route going to Picton (from Nelson). From this route you can see the Queen Charlotte Arm and all the inlets, from the mountain ridge.
Do you mean Queen Charlotte Drive? In the same area, there is also the Kenepuru Road (accessed from Queen Charlotte Drive), or the 'back' road from Picton to Blenheim along Port Underwood.
Originally Posted by
Happy
4) the northern portion of the West Coast highway.
There are a number of very scenic sections here. I hope you also include the Buller River Gorge in there
Originally Posted by
Happy
Comparing to the above, the driving between Queenstown, Te Anau, and Milford Sounds, is really, well, no comparison.
...and IMHO, the drive between Wanaka and Lake Tekapo (with a detour to Mount Cook) probably beats them all—and it just so happens that lies between Christchurch and Queenstown and thus, very relevant to the the OP ^