North Sydney Council is vying for Kirribilli to be crowned the jacaranda capital of Sydney as visitors in their dozens flock to the purple-lined streets. 

The council wants to plant even more trees, despite some locals staunchly opposing it.

But Grafton Jacaranda Festival organiser Mark Blackadder has reminded the council that Grafton still has the best and biggest display of jacarandas.

“We are the jacaranda capital of Australia: Kirribilli can do what it does, but it will be the jacaranda area of Sydney only, not the country!” he told Deborah Knight.

“Regional tourism needs to thrive … Sydney has got everything else.

“I think we’re going to be hard to beat [with] 1700 jacaranda trees in one area.”

He said he was shocked some locals wanted to cut them down.

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

2GB listener Adrian sent Deborah these photos during a recent visit to Grafton.