The 8 best places to see jacaranda trees around Sydney and NSW

While the big white sails and ol’ Mr Coathanger are splendid sights to behold without floral adornments, the subtle embellishments of lilac flowers are a fresh spring framing for these iconic structures. Jacarandas bloom along the foreshore, the cobblestoned streets of the Rocks and in a big bright forest between the ferry wharf and the MCA.

The North Shore is home to some real tall poppies in terms of jacaranda trees, but Kirribilli’s McDougall Street must have something in the soil. When they’re at their blooming best, the trees reach out for their neighbours, creating a flowering arch and a fairytale scene on the street below.

If the bold hue of Sydney’s favourite trees has inspired you to seek out a copycat purple outfit, check out more jacarandas on Oxford Street in between browsing. Don’t miss the intersection with Glenmore Road, which offers an explosion of colour as the tree-lined streets merge.

Situated around a 6.5 hours' drive north of Sydney, Grafton is home to an abundance of jacaranda trees. With more than 2,000 of the lilac flowering trees calling this Northern Rivers town home, you’re in for a big, fat, flowery time. Running every year, this festival is somewhat of an institution, with it bringing wild small town quirkiness and beautiful blossoms together in one, gorgeous place.

This one’s a no-brainer – you’ll obviously find fab flowers in a garden – but these jacarandas will still blow your mind.

The jacaranda in the Sydney Uni quadrangle had acquired an unusual level of celebrity status for a tree before uprooting the whole school (emotionally) and passing away in 2016. Luckily, the university cloned the 88 year old before she moved on, so her almost-offspring will hopefully be wowing us with their modern jacaranda style this season.

Purple picnic? Lavender Bay is the place to do it with mauve-clad views of the harbour. But watch out for falling flowers – those bright little buds are prone to shedding and come with a sticky residue for maximum mess. They’re also like hardcore rave caves for native bees, so picnickers beware.

If you’re itching for a jacaranda-themed mini road trip, you’ll find an impressive corridor on Argyle Street in Camden, just south west of Sydney. They’re pretty proud of their purple patch too, purposefully beefing up their family of trees last year by planting eight additional mature jacarandas to their collection.