Comprehensive Guide Collection for Exploring Serpentine National Park, Western Australia

Darling Range waterfall park with jarrah forests and spring wildflower displays

Serpentine National Park

Serpentine National Park occupies a prominent position in the Darling Range, protecting a section of the Serpentine River as it descends from the upland plateau toward the Swan Coastal Plain. The park's main attraction, Serpentine Falls, comprises a series of cascading drops through a forested gorge, with a large pool at the base that has long served as a recreation area for Perth residents. The surrounding landscape features open jarrah and marri woodland on laterite-derived soils, with dense shrub understory that flourishes in spring. The park's boundary encompasses the Serpentine Dam, a major water storage facility managed by the Water Corporation, creating an unusual juxtaposition of protected natural area with infrastructure. The park was proclaimed in 1957 and has been expanded several times since, most notably in the 2000s when additional land to the north of the Serpentine River was incorporated, including areas formerly managed as State Forest and Regional Parks by the local shire. This expansion connected previously separated conservation parcels into a more coherent protected landscape.