Thirty minutes from Perth, in the park that was the state’s first, a 250-metre stretch of corten steel and reclaimed spotted gum has just opened to the public. The Glen Brook elevated walkway began operating in mid-May 2026 and is the first elevated structure of its kind in John Forrest National Park.
The walkway was fabricated and installed by local company Advanteering Civil Engineers. It runs over Glen Brook itself, with views taking in the surrounding granite outcrops, Jane Brook and the Railway Reserve Heritage Trail.
How to get to the walkway
The walkway is currently accessible from one direction only. With construction about to begin on the West Ridge amenities plaza at the western end, the only way on is via a newly installed ramp and short access trail on the eastern side, branching off the existing Glen Brook Trail. The Glen Brook Trail itself starts at the main picnic area.
That eastern access is temporary. Once the wider project is finished, the walkway will form an accessible walking and cycling link between the West Ridge carpark and the future Park Hub.
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What you see from up there
The new walkway adds a different perspective and an accessible section to John Forrest National Park. It crosses over Glen Brook, with the surrounding granite outcrops, Jane Brook and the Railway Reserve Heritage Trail all visible from the elevated walkway. Glen Brook itself only flows in winter and spring, so the view changes substantially with the season. Wildflower season runs from roughly August through November, when the park is also at its busiest.
The wider Glen Brook Trail was already on the short list of Perth walking trails that work with kids. The main picnic area at the trailhead is a good spot to stop and relax, and there’s a nature playground nearby for the kids to stretch their legs even more.
Further development at John Forrest National Park
The walkway is part of a project worth close to $11 million, funded by the state government with $2.5 million from the WA Recovery Plan. The next stage is the West Ridge amenities plaza, a $2.1 million Advanteering build that will include toilets, a sheltered trailhead, seating, bike racks and accessible paths linking to the walkway. Completion is expected in early 2027.
Beyond that, the planned Park Hub will become the central visitor area, with the walkway as the link between it and the new carpark. For now, the walkway is open from the eastern side, and the rest of the park, including the waterfalls, the Swan View Tunnel and the older trails, is still there to add to your itinerary on your visit.
