On a weekend late in November the Rotary Jacaranda Festival Weekend is on in Applecross, celebrating the magnificent flowering Jacaranda trees with a fabulous market. Parking can be an issue as this is a popular event and some parking costs $10 a car so we chose to walk in to the festival eliminating the need to park.
We started our walk at Ardross, parking at Troy Park (we did have to park on the edge as a cricket game was in progress at the club and the parking bays were quite full). Toilets are available here. We then followed the dual use path alongside Burke Drive.
Walking along the Swan River foreshore we enjoyed fabulous views across the river to the city and back towards Point Walter. Because the Swan widens here into an estuary (Melville Water) the water is calm providing ideal conditions for quiet water activities such as fishing and SUP boarding. There is a limit of 8 knots for motorised vessels on this part of the river and no jet skis are allowed here as the wash from the bow waves damages the foreshore where waterbirds nest.
After passing Tompkins Park we continued along the rivers edge. The dual use path has an extra lane here so there is a dedicated lane for walkers, allowing the bikes to pass by unhindered. Further along the bikes tended to use Melville Beach Road, which is a quiet street, rather than the path. We headed along the boardwalk towards Applecross Jetty which has stunning city views and is a great spot for fishing.
We turned up Ardross Street and were immediately among the beautiful jacarandas in full bloom. On the way up the hill towards Applecross some young entrepreneurs had set up a stall selling ouchie bags. The Rotary Jacaranda Festival includes extensive market stalls with a variety of goods, food trucks and children's activities. The market stalls are set among the many cafes and boutiques lining Ardross Street with the magnificent jacarandas flowering overhead. There are public toilets available and dogs are welcome on a lead. Jacarandas also line McLeod Street.
The walk from Tompkins Park to Applecross took us about an hour. After wandering around the markets we headed back on a slightly shorter route which took us about 45 minutes. On the way we passed Flying Trapeze Perth at Tompkins Park and stopped to watch some high wire acts swinging and catching each other - spectacular!
An alternative is to park closer to Heathcote Reserve and then the kids can have a play at the Heathcote Reserve Pirate Playground.
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In the spirit of reconciliation Out and About- Family Nature Connection acknowledges the traditional owners of the Wadjak boodjar (Perth land) and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.