Sixty Foot Falls, also known as Ellis Brook Falls, is a great family-friendly hiking spot. Located in the suburb of Martin, it’s only 26km from the Perth CBD. This means you could easily head out there in the morning and be back in time to catch the sunset at the beach!
Being the Perthite that I am, I have hiked Sixty Foot Falls a few times over the years and I have to say, late winter or early spring is the most enjoyable time to visit. This is when water is actually flowing over the falls and the wildflowers are starting to bloom.
With over 500 species of wildflowers, it’s considered the richest wildflower location in the Perth metro region. Plus, there’s over 116 species of bird that breed and forage there. With such an abundance of life and beauty, plus a pretty good view all the way to the Perth CBD, you won’t want to miss this one.
Keep reading to discover what you need to know about the hike. Get the low-down on whether it’s safe to park there, how hard the hike is, and what else you can do while you’re there.
1. It’s an easy, kid-friendly hike
The main trail at Ellis Brook, called the ‘60 Foot Falls Circuit’, is a 2.1km loop trail. While the initial trail is a steep ascent up to the falls, the trail flattens out after that. There are a few more gradual inclines before you get to a high point along the trail. It’s a downhill run just before the quarry and then it’s downhill all the way back to the carpark.
The friendly terrain, well-trodden tracks as well as some variety, makes this the perfect hike for kids. All up it took us about an hour to complete, with 3 kids between the ages of 9 and 13 along for the hike. We stopped to explore the falls and the quarry, and we were in absolutely no rush. You could easily complete the trail in well under an hour.
The trail is marked as a Grade 4, though I’m not really sure why it got such a high rating. Perhaps it’s because it’s steep in parts and requires you to traverse a number of gravelly hills. You’ll find an orange lizard as the trail marker along the way.
I recommend going anticlockwise on the trail to get the steepest part out of the way first. This will also get you to the most exciting part first – Sixty Foot Falls! There’s no way to avoid going uphill no matter which direction you walk, but going the opposite way and walking clockwise will help you avoid the initial steep walk up to the falls.
2. There’s other hike options at Ellis Brook
Not only will you find the 60 Foot Falls Circuit at Ellis Brook, there’s also a few shorter hiking trails that offer even more variety.
The maps on the signs at the carpark can be a bit confusing, but if you want to complete the main circuit, follow the ‘60 Foot Falls Circuit’ Loop that’s marked with an orange lizard. The other hiking trails you’ll see are all back behind the carpark towards the way you drove in. Here’s some information about the other hiking trails nearby:
Blue Wren Ramble: Follows the valley/river (Ellis Brook) downstream from the Valley Head Car Park. 1.4km one-way. Shady walk. Trail markers are a blue wren.
Eagle View: Starts at Honeyeater Hollow (a different carpark), 430m return walk. Takes you to up to a viewpoint. Trail markers are a green eagle.
‘Easy Walk Trail’: 500m loop, starts at Honeyeater Hollow. Trail markers are a red echidna.
3. You can check out Barrington Quarry
Barrington Quarry is an abandoned rock quarry that was once excavated for its granite and diorite. These days, it’s just a strange and interesting stop on the circuit trail.
Once the loop trail starts gradually heading downhill, you will eventually come to the top edge of the quarry. There’s a chain-link fence around it at the top, and from there you can see down into the quarry. Keep walking along the trail to eventually find the optional track that heads into the floor of the quarry, it’s well worth a quick stop. It’s quite amazing to be surrounded by the steep rock walls and to spy all the big fallen boulders that have come unstuck over the years.
The quarry is known to have been a popular rock climbing location in the past, but climbing has not been permitted there since 2016.
4. The wildflowers are amazing!
If you head out at the peak of Spring, you will be absolutely delighted by the magnitude and variety of wildflowers at Ellis Brook. Stroll slowly enough to notice all the little emerging flowers and watch the vibrant blue wrens zip past. You might even be lucky enough to catch some water flowing over the falls if you’re there after heavy rains or soon after winter.
Like anywhere in the Perth hills, it gets very hot and very dry (and not that appealing) during the summer! If you are going to Sixty Foot Falls during summer, be sure to bring plenty of water, watch out for snakes, and be aware of any bushfire warnings or road closures.
5. Sixty Foot Falls is dog friendly
Sixty Foot Falls is located in the Banyowla Regional Park, so dogs are permitted on a leash. Just make sure that you pick up after your dog and be considerate of other trail users if you choose to walk your dog there.
6. It’s only open between 6am and 7pm
There are gates located at the start of the entrance road, Rushton Road, that close daily… so don’t get stuck inside! There’s a huge sign next to the gate that you can’t miss. If you are planning to watch the sunset from the top of the Falls, make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to get back to your car and out through the gate.
7. The carpark has a bad reputation
The carpark at the start of the 60 Foot Falls trail is called ‘Valley Head Car Park’ and it’s located at the end of Rushton Road. It has a bad reputation for being an unsafe place to park your car – lots of break-ins have happened there over the years. It sucks, but don’t let it deter you from experiencing the Falls!
To help avoid being the unlucky person whose car gets broken into, you could do the following:
- Go when it’s busy and go during the day,
- Keep valuables out of sight in your car,
- Better yet, don’t bring valuables at all if you can avoid it.
The area is managed by the City of Gosnells, and because it’s not a National Park there is no active management of trails – this means you enter and hike at your own risk.
8. You cannot swim in the Quarry
Swimming in the quarry at Ellis Brook Falls/Sixty Foot Falls is not recommended. The water sits stagnant pretty much permanently, so there’s a serious risk for meningitis. Although the water is an enticing shade of blue there’s no way you’d catch me swimming in there.
You could get in the water at the base of Sixty Foot Falls itself but given that the brook is quite narrow and there aren’t really any easily accessible points, I wouldn’t recommend it. Trampling through the bush and destroying the banks helps nobody. Besides, on the days when it’s hot enough for a swim, there probably won’t be much water flowing through the brook anyway – you might as well just head on down to the beach!
9. There are no amenities at the Valley Head Carpark
There are no toilets or water available at the Valley Head Carpark, which is where the 60 Foot Falls Circuit trail starts. But if you head 1.2km back along Rushton Road you’ll find the Honeyeater Hollow area which has toilets, picnic benches and BBQs. To be safe, make sure you bring all your own drinking water with you.
What I love about Sixty Foot Falls
Sixty Foot Falls is an easy-access, all ages hike that is the perfect introduction to hiking in the Perth hills. With endless wildflowers, an impressive waterfall (by Perth standards anyway), plenty of wildlife, city views, and an abandoned quarry – this hike doesn’t get much more ‘Perth’. I love it because it makes you feel like you’ve gone on a good adventure without having to travel very far at all, and without having to dedicate an entire day to do it.
New to hiking and wondering what to pack?
Check out this guide to find out what you need to pack, and what you need to leave behind on your first day-hike.
Looking for a bigger adventure?
Take a road trip ‘down south’ and check out one of the south-west’s greatest hikes – Bald Head. Learn everything you need to know about tackling this epic half-day hike and get a taste of the region’s magic.
