Polly Manaia is working as an exotic dancer in 1960s Sydney’s notorious Kings Cross. She’s desperate to bring her young daughter to live with her, but beneath her brash confidence lie dark secrets which threaten to drag her under.

Gina is excited to live with her mum again. She’s mature for an 11-year-old, but can this young girl cope with Polly’s demons? Rhoda and Star, transgender performers and Polly’s flatmates, bring stability to Polly’s and Gina’s lives. Yet this unlikely little family will find itself threatened in more ways than one.

The Jacaranda House is a fascinating portrayal of a shifting society and a beautiful portrait of motherhood and identity.