- Duration
- a driving day, ~40 km from the centre (≈ 3 h 45 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- Everyone
- Transport
- drive
- Start
- Lesmurdie Falls
- Finish
- Mundaring Weir
- Pace
- moderate pace
- Best time
- after rain, June to September, when the falls run
- Budget per adult
- fuel, a picnic and A$17 per vehicle to enter John Forrest (concession A$10)Prices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
Go by car. The falls and the weir are up on the Darling Scarp.
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
1. Lesmurdie Falls~50 min at the stop
A waterfall on the scarp edge and a view back over the plain to the city. A short walk, a picnic, and you are already out of town.
Worth knowing: The falls drop off the Darling Scarp, the escarpment between the coastal plain and the hills. They run hardest after winter rain.
Tip: In summer the water may be gone. The view stays. Stay off the lip after rain.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 25 min · 16 km
2. John Forrest National Park~1 h 20 min at the stop
The state's first and oldest national park: the Jane Brook valley, National Park Falls and shade. A half-day escape from the city, not a multi-day hike.
Tip: Entry is A$17 per vehicle. The National Park Falls walk is about 2.5 km: out along the brook, back along the old railway formation of the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail. The falls flow best in winter and spring.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 25 min · 14 km
3. Mundaring Weir~45 min at the stop
The weir that watered the goldfields. The wall, the forest and a tea. A quiet finish while the sun is still on the scarp.
Tip: Walk the wall if it is open. Allow a full hour back to the city, with traffic.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.