WA Detective Trails are self-guided walk trails taking in historical and cultural attractions around Perth city and other locations in greater Perth and the rest of Western Australia. Each trail comes with a fictitious crime to solve and a list of suspects; each stop on the walk trail has you hunting high and low for the solutions to clues which will reveal the name of an innocent suspect or corroborate their alibi, or uncover a missing treasure. The trails are self-guided: you do them at your own convenience.

Once you have purchased the desired trail, you will receive a link to a printable pdf booklet which includes both a map and written directions to each location on the trail. At each stop, you can read a few interesting facts about the site as well as other relevant information. You will also find a clue which can only be solved by making observations and connections, like true detectives.

Absolutely. The walk trails are made with families in mind. They are stroller and wheelchair friendly, and point out kid-friendly attractions (and toilet facilities) at each location. The clues rely on the “observation of trifles”, as Sherlock Holmes would say, so can be solved by keen-eyed children, with adult logic and general knowledge to guide them.

The lower age limit is around age 6-7, depending on the child’s reading confidence, attention span, and stamina, though parents report children as young as 5 joining in successfully with their families.

There is no real upper limit – adults report enjoying the trails even without children in tow – but teenagers of a certain age and disposition may be unimpressed.

Generally, yes, if they’re on leash and you clean up after them. You might be walking in some crowded city places so they’ll need to be fairly well behaved. Some parks and public spaces don’t allow dogs, so please observe the signs.

Each trail has a minimum of 10 locations with 10 corresponding clues, but the amount of walking will vary. You would generally need at least 2 hours, but I would recommend setting aside more time than that so you have time to explore “off-trail” (and, oh, I don’t know, sit in a park and eat ice cream, why not?).

It varies. Some can be solved just by spotting the suspect’s name hidden at the location, but others might involve anagrams, codes, logic and other little tricks to keep it interesting. They should be challenging without being frustrating. It takes teamwork, attention to detail, and some thinking: just like Watson and Sherlock.

If you get stuck, QR codes hide extra hints (just point your smartphone camera at the code).

Watson category trails have only suspect names to eliminate. They mostly require observation skills, with some anagrams, homophones or other twists. They best suit younger children (aged between 6 – 9).

Sherlock category trails include suspect profiles as well, the clues tend to more involved, and some clues will need you to pay attention to the suspect profiles to confirm alibis or other details such as profession to clear them. They best suit older children through to adults.

No. The answers to the clues are based mainly on observation, puzzle solving, and a little general knowledge (such as knowing how a basic A=1 alpha-numero cipher works).

And it's a great way to get to know the place :)

We regularly check and update the trails (unless otherwise specified) but temporary or permanent changes can occur in any public setting. If there’s a clue that can’t be accessed, you can either use the QR codes to get the answer, or access the clue photo link given in each booklet to still solve the clue. Please do let us know if there’s an access problem.

Unless a building is unoccupied and has free entry and generous opening hours, you never have to go inside (unless you want to). You sometimes have to go into the grounds of an area which is not open 24 hours a day, and this will be noted on the puzzle trail’s page and in the trail introduction. I would recommend reading through the booklet beforehand so you can see relevant times and days associated with every location and plan accordingly.

If you’re planning on doing the trail on a public holiday, double check whether the location will be open.

As well as a copy of the booklet, bring whatever you would normally bring on a long walk: sun protection, snacks, water etc. On the page for each puzzle walk, I have listed anything out of the ordinary you might wish to bring, but you should also read through the booklet to check for additional activities you might need to plan for.

(Sherlock adds “Bring with you a jemmy, a dark lantern, a chisel, and a revolver.”)

No, you can save the pdf to your phone and view it on there; however, it is designed to be printed so it’s not always an easy experience trying to follow it on a small screen, and the QR codes are harder to use. That said, it has been successfully done that way.

Yes. I do ask that you buy one copy of the trail per 15 people, but beyond that you can print as many copies of the booklet as needed.

However, do consider the logistics of moving multiple small groups of children around a set path of clues: you can start them at different start points.

No! Names, businesses, places and events referenced in the suspect profiles and clues are fictional or used in a fictitious setting. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental, unless otherwise noted. There is no intention to cause harm to real people or businesses.