Paronella Park, south of Cairns
Fantasy world: Paronella Park is one of the regions most interesting tourist attractions.
Paronella Park at Mena Creek, near Innisfail, is one of the region's more eclectic tourist offerings.
Created in the 1930s by a Spanish immigrant José Paronella, the park feels like something out of a fantasy movie.
Rising out of the gardens that surround them are castles, battlements, paths, terraces and waterways that decorate the landscape.
José Paronella arrived in Australia from Catalonia in Spain, in 1913.
His dream was to build a Spanish style castle for his wife Margarita, nestled in the rainforest surrounds of Mena Creek.
They laboured with unswerving determination, until, in 1935 after much hard work, the Park was officially opened to the public.
The park was very popular, with the hall a favourite venue for dances and parties.
Upwards of 7,000 trees were planted by José, including the magnificent Kauris lining Kauri Avenue.
Disaster struck the park several times, with floods and a fire causing major damage forcing the park to be closed for a number of years.
The park was sold in 1977 and for many years remained untouched, allowing the park to become overgrown.
Mark and Judy Evans, the current owner/operators, purchased the Park in 1993 and formulated a plan to put the Park back on the map.
After much hard work they were successful, with the Park gained National Trust listing in 1997.
It has since been recognised by a total of 11 Tourism Awards in the period from 1998 till April 2000.
Paronella Park's life as a pleasure gardens continues as José intended, for visitors, and with social gatherings, particularly weddings, continuing to make use of this unique location.
Visitors can explore, dine, experience Aboriginal culture and learn the amazing history of one man and his dream to build a legacy.
The park is located at Mena Creek, around 120kms from Cairns.
Tours leave daily, with a Caravan Park available for overnight stays.
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