If you’re after a beautiful new spot to explore, Bells Rapids Lookout in Brigadoon is a lovely spot to pause. It’s one of those spots where you arrive and think ‘yes, this was absolutely worth the drive’. And what a drive it is, up a very steep road – but that’s half the fun.
Perched right above the beginnings of the Swan River, the lookout gives you gorgeous views to the west, where you’ll spot Perth, beyond the sprawling Swan Valley. It’s quietly beautiful, with a view that makes you feel genuinely lucky to live this city. Look north over the waterway and surrounding bushland of the Perth Hills. You can spot the railway that follows the river, towards the Avon Valley, and even the footbridge that crosses Bells Rapids below.
Redeveloped in mid-2026, there are now landscaped native garden beds winding through the area, easy paved pathways so you’re not navigating rough terrain, plenty of shaded seating to settle into and soak it all up, and parking right there when you arrive. There’s ACROD parking too. No fuss. No long walks from the car. Just a gorgeous outlook and all the time in the world to enjoy it. Be sure to bring a thermos of coffee to sit back with.
This lookout sits above the Swan Valley’s most famous hiking spot near to Bells Rapids – but the lookout itself means you get all that spectacular scenery without needing to break a sweat. That is very much my kind of adventure! My tip? Grab something delicious from the Swan Valley on your way through, there’s no shortage of great stops, find a shaded seat and just let that view do all the talking.
You’ll find Bells Rapids Lookout at Campersic Road, Brigadoon.
Find more things to do in the Swan Valley here.
