Grafton is the Clarence Valley's old river city, set on broad streets and wrapped around the Clarence River. It is most famous in spring, when jacarandas turn the avenues purple and the annual festival gives the town a reason to show off.
Outside jacaranda season, Grafton is quieter but not empty. Its appeal is old-country-town scale: the bend of the river, the double-deck road-and-rail bridge, churches and civic buildings, fig trees, verandahs, and a heritage trail that rewards walking rather than driving straight through.
The best visit is slow and seasonal. Come for the Jacaranda Festival if you can, but leave time for Fig Tree Avenue, the riverfront, and the views toward Susan Island Nature Reserve.