Stairway to Heaven - Jacaranda Views from the Westcliff Stairs

ABOUT

To celebrate Jacaranda Season, we invite you to tackle the famous Westcliff stairs for incredible views over a sea of purple.

We start at the historic Hope School - originally a mansion known as Pallinghurst, the home of Raymond and Hope Schumacher. The route then takes us along Pallinghurst Road, down the stairs to Wexford Avenue, across to Westcliff Drive and up to Tyson Road. 

So join your guides David Gurney and Luke Goncalves for a memorable meander through this historic suburb. Along the way, we’ll enjoy both the stunning views and some remarkable modernist houses from the 1930’s, with their elegant simplicity, geometric shapes, and innovative steel and concrete construction techniques. 

We’ll also meet some of the famous personalities who lived in the area, including sculptor Moses Kottler and a well-known photographer, who had a tenant that wrote a blockbuster novel…  

The tour concludes with a visit to Kanonkop and a final climb up the stairs to Woolston Road before heading back down to Pallinghurst Road for our return to the Hope School. 

Please note: this tour is very steep and requires a decent degree of fitness. Wear good walking shoes and bring along water and sun protection.

DIRECTIONS