On this part of the trip it wasn't only the coast which impressed, but the inland drive to Mt Cook and the amazing tiffany blue glacial lakes Pukaki and Tekapo.
The town of Oamaru was a surprise with its very elegant Victorian stone buildings - relics of former glory as a meat shipping centre. AND it had penguins which you could actually see coming in from the sea to roost for the night. Albatross and Penguins within a few days!
And then inland to Mt Cook and from there pleasant drive through pastoral country to Christchurch.
