Grafton keeps two big dates in its calendar, and both come with a half-day public holiday. One is the Grafton Cup in July. The other is the Jacaranda Festival's major focal day on the first Thursday of November. Between them sit a humid subtropical climate, a wet summer and a river that shapes the town. These are the main Grafton events and seasonal highlights.
We have set out the year season by season, using the climate and what happens when. For wider planning, the official Visit NSW state tourism site is a sensible next stop. Check current dates and times with the organisers before you go.
Grafton's climate in brief
Grafton sits on the Clarence River floodplain in the Northern Rivers region, about 620 kilometres by road north-northeast of Sydney. It has a humid subtropical climate, with significantly more rain in summer than in winter. The city sees around 115 clear days a year.
Rainfall here is lower than at stations directly on the coast, but monthly totals can often pass 300 millimetres. The wettest month on record was March 1974, when Cyclone Zoe delivered 549 millimetres. At the other extreme, strong westerly winds and high pressure can leave a month almost dry. August 2017 recorded just 0.2 millimetres.
Summer: heat and rain
Summer is the wet season, and it is also hot. Grafton, like many regional NSW centres, is affected by heatwaves in the summer months. On 12 February 2017 the city recorded 46.3 °C, the highest temperature since records began in 1966.
That is worth weighing up before you plan a long outdoor day. We would say summer suits travellers who are happy to work around the weather, with shade, water and flexible plans. Our Grafton activities page is the place to start for ideas.
Autumn and winter: drier days and the Racing Carnival
Rainfall eases after the summer months, though autumn is not guaranteed to be dry, as March 1974 shows. Winter is the drier half of the year, and it has a relatively high diurnal range, meaning a sizeable gap between daytime and night-time temperatures. Pack layers.
The July Racing Carnival
Winter brings Grafton's other great fixture. The Grafton Cup is held each year on the second Thursday in July, and a half-day public holiday is observed locally for it. It is the high point of the city's annual Racing Carnival, described as Australia's largest and richest non-metropolitan carnival, which runs over a fortnight in July.
If you plan to visit during the carnival, sort out beds early. Our Grafton accommodation page lists the range of places to stay.
Rugby league
Rugby league is the most popular sport in Grafton. Two local clubs play in the Group 2 competition, the Grafton Ghosts and their arch-rivals the South Grafton Rebels. Derbies between the two have drawn crowds of more than 3000.
Spring: the Jacaranda Festival
Grafton is promoted as the Jacaranda City, after its tree-lined streets and its annual Jacaranda Festival. The festival was inaugurated in 1935 and runs each October and November. Its major focal day is the first Thursday of November, with a half-day public holiday observed locally.
The trees themselves are the reason to come in spring. The sight of Grafton's brilliantly flowered trees in bloom is immortalised in Cold Chisel's song Flame Trees, written by Don Walker, who lived in Grafton during his formative years. We would argue that this is the one time of year to prioritise, if you can only pick one.
A few festival stories
- During the 1963 festival, inventor John W. Dickenson demonstrated the first weight-shift controlled hang glider on the Clarence River, the birth of modern hang gliding.
- The festival has its own Jacaranda Queen. Samantha McClymont, the 2005/2006 Jacaranda Queen, later received a country music award at the 2006 Tamworth Country Music Awards.
- In 1964, a row over fluoride in the town water supply spilled into the festival, where rival float participants came to blows.
Planning your visit by season
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (October to November) | Jacaranda Festival; major day on the first Thursday of November |
| Summer | Wetter, with heatwaves possible |
| Autumn | Rainfall easing from summer |
| Winter (July) | Drier, big day-to-night temperature range; Racing Carnival and Grafton Cup |
Whichever season you choose, the city's heritage is on hand year-round. Christ Church Cathedral on Duke Street, designed by John Horbury Hunt and consecrated in 1884, and the Saraton Theatre at 95 Prince Street are both heritage listed. Schaeffer House, a 1900 Federation house, holds the Clarence River Historical Society's collection. For more to see, browse our Grafton attractions page, or start with the wider Grafton travel guide.
For the background on the city, you can read the Wikipedia entry for Grafton.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Jacaranda Festival held?
The festival runs each October and November. Its major focal day is the first Thursday of November, when a half-day public holiday is observed locally.
When is the Grafton Cup?
It is held each year on the second Thursday in July, and is the high point of a fortnight-long Racing Carnival. A half-day public holiday is observed locally.
Is Grafton very hot in summer?
It can be. Summer brings heatwaves, and the city recorded 46.3 °C on 12 February 2017, its highest on record. Summer is also the wetter part of the year.