Tramping in the South with Kids

The Queen Charlotte track's easy walking (though a few climbs from sea level up to about 450m) with great views of the sounds. Lots of swimming spots, fairly busy and no huts but good campsites and private accommodation (backpackers, lodges etc). And an ice cream shop along the way (certainly not a remote wilderness experience). Heaps of guided tours, pack ferrying etc available but you can do it independently on the cheap and only pay campsite fees and a water taxi to the start of the track. 67km total but with the water taxis you can start and finish pretty much where you like. Or if you're after river valleys and mountains, Mt Arthur and the Tablelands provides heaps of options. There's a variety of huts and rock shelters fairly close together, good tracks (path standard) to a couple of huts on the bushline, and side trips onto Mt Arthur itself (I've not been up there I'm not sure how suitable it is for kids) or across the tops of Peel Range. Or Mt Somers in South Canterbury is three days of about 2 1/2 hours each (probably a bit longer for an 8 yr old), good huts, interesting mining history and great swimming holes. Views over the Canterbury Plains and backblocks. There's heaps of other options that'd be suitable but there's somewhere to start!