When the buds are beginning to open like this you can see why it's called the tulip tree.
It's proper name is Magnolia X soulangeana. Native of Asia. Introduced into Australia around 1800 from what I can gather. Much loved ornamental tree in those parts of Australia muggy enough to grow it. Sydney region, Queensland and so forth.
Magnolia grandiflora, the massive spreading one with yellowy-white leaves, grows in Western Australia. Haven't ever seen another magnolia type there.
Almost fully open flower there in the foreground.
(First person to identify that yellow thing wins a warm glow of satisfaction and the admiration of their peers.)
Cup-shaped flower. In a couple of days the outer row of petals will drop to the horizontal and the flower will look like a cup and saucer. Which is why it's also called the saucer tree.
Along the railway lines on the way into Sydney there's golden wattle bushes been planted to stabilise the banks and they're starting to flower. They'll make a glorious golden corridor in a few weeks. That alone is worth the price of a ticket.
P.S.
If I seem massively shat off in the next few weeks it's not you. It's the legal spaghetti I am currently unknotting. My father spent the last few months of his freedom buying gold bricks off blokes down the pub. I am in the process of returning some of those gold bricks.
