Sydney has another side worth seeing in spring. As the jacarandas come into bloom, the city is filled with purple flowers.
Every October and November, jacaranda trees burst into purple and lilac flowers. You will find them along streets, in parks and throughout quiet neighbourhoods. From the harbour foreshore to leafy residential streets, the flowers add colour to the city and create some beautiful spots for photos.
Our team at Ready Steady Tour has put together this guide to help you make the most of your visit.
A Closer Look at Sydney’s Jacarandas
Jacaranda trees are not native to Australia, but they have become a much-loved part of Sydney’s spring. Each year, the trees bloom for around four to six weeks, covering streets and parks with thousands of purple and lilac flowers.
The main flowering season runs from October into November, but the timing can change slightly each year depending on the weather. A flexible private tour gives you more freedom to see the jacarandas when they are at their best. Our Guida turistica di Sydney can adjust the route on the day and take you to areas with the best blooms instead of following a fixed schedule.
Where to See Sydney’s Jacarandas in 2026
McDougall Street, Kirribilli
One of Sydney’s most photographed spring spots is McDougall Street in Kirribilli. Thirty mature jacaranda trees, planted in the 1930s as a gift from the town of Grafton, line the street and create a stunning purple canopy over the road. It has become one of Sydney’s best-known spring photography spots, attracting visitors from across the city and overseas.
The street gets very busy during jacaranda season, so North Sydney Council has introduced road closures and pedestrian management along McDougall Street and part of Hipwood Street during peak periods.
From Kirribilli, you can take a short walk to Kirribilli Avenue, where lilac blooms frame beautiful views of the Sydney Opera House across the water. Together, the flowers and harbour views offer a different way to see one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.
Circular Quay, The Rocks and the Royal Botanic Garden
For classic Sydney views surrounded by purple blooms, the area around Circular Quay and The Rocks is a great stop. Jacarandas can be found around the Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, First Fleet Park and along the waterfront.
Here, the purple flowers are set against views of the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour.
This is an area we include on many of our Tour privati a Sydney because you can experience so much in one place. History, architecture, harbour views and, in spring, the added colour of the jacarandas.
Paddington and Woollahra
In Paddington, the sandstone walls of Victoria Barracks along Oxford Street are lined with jacaranda trees. During peak bloom, fallen flowers cover the footpath in purple, creating a beautiful spring scene.
From here, you can continue through Woollahra and Double Bay, combining the jacarandas with the boutiques, cafes and heritage streetscapes that make this part of Sydney so enjoyable to explore.
This area works well as part of a longer private tour through the Eastern Suburbs, especially when combined with a coastal drive towards Bondi Beach.
Lavender Bay
On the north side of the harbour, Lavender Bay offers jacaranda-lined streets as well as a visit to Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden.
This heritage-listed garden was created over many years by Wendy Whiteley, the widow of Australian artist Brett Whiteley. It is a beautiful, slightly wild urban garden perched above the bay, with views across the water towards the Harbour Bridge.
It is one of those special places in Sydney that can be easy to miss and does not always feature on a standard itinerary.
A Better Way to Experience Sydney
Explore Sydney at Your Own Pace
With Ready Steady Tour, our private tours give you the flexibility to enjoy the city without being part of a large group. You can explore with your own group, move at a comfortable pace and have a Sydney tour guide who knows the city that can help you make the most of your day.
See Jacarandas Alongside Sydney’s Highlights
Our itineraries can include some of the city’s best jacaranda locations alongside well-known sights such as The Rocks, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, the Opera House area, Paddington, the Eastern Suburbs and Bondi Beach.
Goditi un itinerario flessibile
Jacaranda flowering can shift slightly from year to year depending on temperatures and rainfall. A flexible private itinerary gives us the option to adjust the route on the day and visit the areas with the best displays at the time. This flexibility means you can spend more time where the scenery is at its best, something a fixed group tour cannot offer.
Make the Most of Sydney’s Jacaranda Season
Our team can help you plan a private Sydney tour that suits your group during jacaranda season. You can choose a half-day tour focused on Sydney’s best jacaranda spots, spend a full day exploring the harbour, Eastern Suburbs and Bondi, or create an itinerary around the places you most want to see.
We offer pickup and drop-off from selected Sydney CBD hotels and can accommodate groups of up to 24 guests. Our guided tours are available in English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Hebrew and Russian, with other languages available on request.
Get in touch with our team at Ready Steady Tour. Call us at 0434 136 329 o inviare il nostro modulo online per iniziare a pianificare il tuo viaggio.
