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Paronella Park

4.7

5139 Reviews

Everyone has a dream. But not everyone’s dreams are realised.

José Paronella’s dream was to build a castle. He chose a special part of Australia and created Paronella Park.
On 5ha beside Mena Creek Falls he built his castle, picnic area by the falls, tennis courts, bridges, a tunnel, and wrapped it up in an amazing range of 7,500 tropical plants and trees (now a lush rainforest!).

He opened to the public in 1935. Now we carry on his dream.

Guided Tour
Nature

Reviews

Amanda Elkoumi

1 month ago

This place is absolutely magical, but the story behind it amplifies its wow factor by 100 times. Our guide at the park was Vicky, who was A+, but really all the staff we interacted with were wonderful! We stuck around for the night tour which was lovely, as Paronella Park is home to one of 3 lit up waterfalls in all of Australia. The grounds are stunning and petty vast, so leave time to explore. They let you feed the turtles and fish which was super fun! I won’t ruin the story for you, but I will say we were lucky enough to meet Mark, who together with his wife and 3 children are the current owners of the park. These people are truly committed to preserving the vision and legacy of Jose Paronella, which is truly wonderful and inspiring. It baffles me that Paronella Park is not more well known - but I’m making it a mission to help change that! Make the trip! See the place! Take a tour bc without it, you won’t really get the whole effect (ps I normally hate tours but this is a huge exception!!). This place will live in my memory for a LONG time! Being that it’s the first thing we got to experience around Cairns, I really can’t recommend it enough! Thank you to Mark and Judy for your dedication to seeing Paronella Park through devastation, testing the limits of human compassion, and that it’s around for decades to come! Playground: The grounds are vast and gorgeous. Great place to roam around and get lost in the pathways through the lush vibrant greenery. Restrooms: Great. Clean. Auto flush. Toilet paper available. Can’t ask for more really.
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Telena Benfield

1 month ago

I had visited this place when I was a little girl. Came back this Valentine’s Day with my fiancé. It was just as beautiful as I remember. The tour is short and sweet and then you can take your time wandering around the beautiful park. We loved feeding the cheeky turtles & were in awe of the abundance of electric blue Ulysses butterflies. Our tickets last for two years which means we can come back and visit again soon as we please. If you are visiting in summer months, bring plenty of water & mosquito repellent. You can also bring in some snacks or a picnic as there are plenty of benches and stunning, peaceful areas to enjoy your food. Otherwise, there is a cafe available and yummy ice cream. Definitely a must do for anyone visiting North Queensland & if you’re a local and have always thought of going, do it! Picnic area: Plenty of private, peaceful areas to enjoy a picnic.
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Melissa Fisher-Jones

1 month ago

This was our second visit to Paronella Park. We visited last year during the day, so this time wanted to see the park at night. We were thrilled to meet the owner Mark and listen to.his passion.about resting this historical area, plus adding other destination places that are eco friendly and will encourage tourism. Beautiful - if you haven't - you must.
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Fed20

2 months ago

Beautiful experience, you will be immerse in the nature listening to the story of an amazing man. Worth a visit, don't cheap out and stay for the night show. I recommend staying for the night as well since the campground is included in the price. Shout out to Vicky for being a fun and prepared Tour Guide. Not like Dave Restrooms: Clean bathrooms
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Louise Winton (Singer)

2 months ago

What an amazing place. Our whole experience was fantastic. The staff are all so wonderful, knowledgeable, helpful and professional. We had such a fabulous time. Even after a slight mishap, our memories of this place are totally positive and we definitely look forward to going back.
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Tam B

2 months ago

A beautiful wander through the bush. The architecture is mesmerising as well as the story behind it. Kylie took us for about a 30 minute tour, talking about the history of the place. She was very natural in her presentation. We went for the day and spent over 4 hours. We took a picnic, as you could come and go from the park. We took our time and there were sights to behold at every turn. Don’t go if you don’t love nature and appreciate the story behind the architecture. We also went back for the night tour which was lovely to see the structures lit up and immerse in some lovely music. It’s short but I appreciate that it’s not any longer to not disrupt the local wildlife. Thanks Megan, Les and Yana! You are supporting local businesses!
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Tina Friede

2 months ago

I would highly recommend visiting this hidden gem! We decided to do the tour and it was incredible. Bill was a great tour guide, very fun and knowledgeable. The history of this place is truly amazing and Bill made it so captivating.
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Helen Hutchieson

3 months ago

Visited today and was so impressed with the place, the story and the really professional team that run Paronella Park. Nearly didn't go back for the night tour, but so pleased we did. It added another dimension to a very interesting story. Our tour guide for the day tour, Carolina from Chile, gave such a fun tour (and didn't even ask for 'a small donation' ). We'll come back again! And camp in The Paddock again too! Top notch!
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Wei

4 months ago

An amazing place to unwind and enjoy a weekend getaway. Our tour guide, Anna, was exceptionally friendly and professional. She is an also a Chinese-speaking guide, and her extensive knowledge and captivating stories about Paronella Park brought its rich history to life and deepened my appreciation for the breathtaking architecture. Highly recommend visiting and taking the guided tour!
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Aileen Seipelt

5 months ago

A magical experience! One of the best things to do in Queensland! It starts with the adventures walk there from the caravan park over a hanging bridge. Then you will be welcomed by the friendly and helpful staff at the reception. Everyone was smiling and explained everything very well and with patience. We felt really welcomed. You can really feel that they enjoy their workplace and that they like the park and the people they are working for. The day tour was guided by Viki (Vivi/Vicki?). She did a fabulous job! Everyone was Held captive by her stories and we all wanted to know more about this fascinating man who built this park. The night tour guide also did a great job and led us through the amazing show they did for highlighting the specialties of the park. They also provide a free car service for people who cannot walk the stairs. The man of the couple who bought the park and who renovated it even spoke to the group. These people did an amazing job with this project and they have my respect in facing this huge task. You can really see their success and the passion they put into everything. When you are around please stop for a visit and see the wonder they created with your own eyes.
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Leonie Sorensen

5 months ago

Absolutely loved this beautiful place! Hubby not so keen. Each to their own I guess. But I would’ve stayed all day, just sitting watching the waterfall. I thought the entry price was very unreasonable, $56 per adult! We travelled an hour from Cairns just to go there, so it’s not like we could refuse. You get nothing for your money other than nice scenery, which you could get from a book, and you can see everything within an hour or two. Wouldn’t go back, but I was happy that we went.
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Marvan Travels

6 months ago

Outstanding. It is more than the sum of its parts. The history of this place is best "felt" by visiting, and preferably doing the day and night tours. We had done a bit of research before we arrived but it wasn't until we were actually there and looking at the ruins, hearing the history from the Guides that it all fell into place. It was a truly magical experience.The gardens and waterfall are beautiful and if you like fish or turtle feeding they are abundant. If you are traveling by Caravan , Motorhome, camper , or tent etc , you even get a free site overnight in the attached caravan park, so you can easily fit in both day and night tours, or if you arrive late afternoon you can see the evening show and then spend time the following morning seeing the rest of the park. (You actually get a free 2 year pass to come back again if you want) . The owner usually greets you and his passion for the history is incredible. If you do stay (or even just do a day trip) the local Mena Creek hotel serves up amazing food at good prices and has great country hospitality (Kerry and Jason are great).
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Edward

6 months ago

Paronella Park was a stunning experience. The tour (included in the ticket) was informative, and the park itself is worth the visit. If you are interested in design, landscaping, and botany, you will have a great time. Keep in mind that this isn't a conservation park, and as such, you won't see many animals. The museum is also worth a look. We visited in the afternoon, and there was plenty of shade.
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Yvonne Blyth

6 months ago

Beautiful location and very impressive garden. The tour guides are great and give a very in-depth historical account of how it all came about. Well worth a visit, and they have plenty of umbrellas on rainy days, so don't miss out!
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Trace Hermsen

6 months ago

Beautiful park that has so much history. You are greeted by the owner who's happy to have a chat about the park and grounds, stepping inside there's a small gift shop full of souvenirs , history items and info of the park and snacks. There's a guide that takes you around the grounds before letting you free range with a map. You are also given complimentary turtle fish food to feed the hordes of aquatic life... There's so many photo opportunities and the camera won't truly do the ruins justice. I don't recommend the tunnel of love as its occupied by a massive family of micro bats that smell really bad in saying that the ruins they live in is pretty cool. Flood markers show where the floods have reached over the years also. Such a beautiful place to visit with so much history. Paronella park is a must see while it's still standing as nature is trying to tear her down with fires floods and cyclones. The cafe food smelt amazing , there's accommodation available also. Parking fills up quick and car charges also available for those that need it. Umbrellas supplied and steady shoes are a must on some of the surfaces! Well worth the 1.5 hr drive. Restrooms: Male/ female / baby change toilets behind the Cafe wheelchair accessible.
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