What's your favourite tracks in your area?

Not really understanding your 1st paragraph. You are flying to dun (dunedin (dud)?) and looking for tramps there? Or travelling overland and looking for places to vusit on the way down?

You will need to carry sufficient shelter to survive long enough until you're located and rescued if injured, so you may want to carry some form of lightweight tent or shelter/tarp. A fractured femur combined with hypothermia is unsurvivable unless the patient is treated at a fairly large hospital i.e. not Timaru but Christchurch.

Check out the Travers Valley in Nelson Lakes National Park. Offers a great snapshot of everything I think is great in a tramp but still offers well marked tracks and good huts. You can side track up to somewhere like Cupola Hut as well for a more spectacular place to stay in a smaller hut if you desire. But, as Honora said make sure you are carry sufficient equipment to survive in an emergency situation (as you always should.)

Sorry, should have made myself more clear. Flying up to Auckland (home town), borrowing a car, going to meander down to Dunedin (where I live now) and looking for tracks along the way. I tend to carry a tarp of some sort and a PLB so not too worried about surviving (well, no more than usual) - I've done a few tracks down Dunedin/Southland way and out on the West Coast, just trying to find some to do along the way and thought I'd try to ask locals what they enjoy in their area. Thanks for the recommendation DodgyDave, definitely adding that to my planning map :) Edit: DodgyDave - a wee bit confused by the description on the DoC website re seasonal descriptions. Do you know does it mean during peak times both lakehead + coldwater hut need to be booked, but the rest are fine? And - allg if you have no clue - do you know how far in advance you tend to have to book them? We are hoping to sort of wander down at our own pace so leery of places where you have to book in advance (but will know a bit in advance as will likely book the ferry a day or two out).

Mt Arthur / Salisbury Lodge / Balloon Hut / Grid Iron rock shelters in Kahurangi NP. Plenty of options for 2-4 day loops from Flora car park. Has tops travel, some nice bush, interesting limestone formations & tomos, neat huts and the opportunity to bag a peak or two. http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/kahurangi-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/tableland-circuit/

St Arnaud during January is very popular for families with boats which rather tends to spoil the wilderness experience anywhere near the lakes. One weekend at end of February there is a speed boat regata on Rotoiti. Lakehead hut often has school, scout or other groups. Neither Lakehead nor Cold Water huts can be booked - you take your chances. Some great campsites up the Travers or sleep under a beech tree! Id' also recommend the area around Mt Arthur as suggested by Briar - beautiful country and not too full on or full up!

As @deepriver said the immediate vicinity of the lake can be very busy. I have never stayed at Coldwater or Lakehead so not experienced with how (over) full they may be. But it isn't too hard to make it to John Tait Hut or Hopeless Hut for the night neither of which should be as busy.

If your driving down there are easily accessible trips into the Ruahines and Tararuas. eastern side of the Tararuas probably offers the most options. 1 to 3 trips. you will want to return to your starting point, so a circuit like Powell-Jumbo is ok. or if weather no good, Holdsworth to Mitre Flats and back via Barra track, to Holdsworth (bit of road walk) or In and out of totara flats. Or into Roaring Stag hut. Or into Tutuwai from waiohine roadend etc etc In Ruahines, you can do circuit to Howletts, Kashmir road -Longview - Howletts-daphne-Kashmire road. if weather is ok

First thing's first: make sure you buy a hut pass! :P And I concur with Honora; don't be a fool, ALWAYS take emergency shelter at the very least when in NZ wilderness. I just debriefed a Welsh kid who went on a day walk and nearly died of hypothermia after a fall. He's very fortunate we have excellent LANDSAR crew. Even the most experienced people on this site, with their wealth of knowledge and experience, can share with you stories of near-misses, and relay stories of equally experienced people who lost out to the wilderness they love. There is no substitute for experience, and that experience will tell you that being prepared is right up there when it comes to saving your life. I know you're not planning on going off trail, which is wise. Acknowledging the limitation of one's own ability is half the battle when it comes to enjoying your time in the great outdoors. Plan well, stay safe, and have a great time. I'm based on the West Coast, so my local trails probably aren't in your sights, but if you do swing by this way, let me know.