Community members will rally in Perth on Thursday to protest the decision to transfer youth from Banksia Hill detention centre to a maximum security adult prison.

On July 5, Corrective Services said a group of about 20 detainees had caused "significant damage and persistent disruption" to Banksia Hill, rendering more than 30 cells unfit for use.

Community Services director general Adam Tomison said the cohort exhibited complex needs and had been destroying infrastructure, assaulting staff and harming themselves for months and would be moved to a designated, standalone unit at Casuarina Prison.

Ngalla Maya Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Mervyn Eades, a member of the state's suicide prevention prison taskforce, said the plan was a "recipe for disaster".

"Casuarina is a maximum security adult prison... it is for the worst of the worst, he said.

National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project spokeswoman Megan Krakouer said the transfer of children to Casuarina violated human rights.

"The immediate solution is to get at least 50-100 nurturers in there - Elders, respected members of the community - to provide psycho-social support to children to address their concerns," she said.

"This is a major failure of the McGowan government.

"It's simple: if you spread hate, you receive hate, if you spread love, you receive love.

"These children are entitled to love like any other child."

Corrective Services Commissioner Mike Reynolds said there had been a stream of contractors at Banksia Hill trying to keep up with the destruction of cells, with the damage bill now exceeding $1.8 million this year.

"The short-term youth detention centre will provide a safe environment for the 20 young men while we restore Banksia Hill to a safe working environment for staff and detainees and complete the necessary infrastructure works," he said.

Ms Krakouer said she feared for the wellbeing of children at a maximum security adult prison.

"Children already spend 23 hours a day in lockdown in Banksia Hill," she said.

"What kind of recreation, what type of psychological support and what activities will they do if they are transferred to a maximum security adult prison?"

Mr Tomison said the standalone unit at Casuarina would provide all services offered at Banksia Hill.

The protest will begin at Forrest Chase in Perth at 11am on Thursday.