Perhaps Paronella Park needs no introduction, having captured the imagination of almost every visitor who has walked through its doors. If you’re wondering whether the hype is real and if it’s really worth a visit, keep reading to discover my honest take on it.
If you’re sick of sifting through mixed Paronella Park reviews, I’ll cut a long story short – if you have a sense of imagination and a shred of child-like wonder in you, Paronella Park will absolutely captivate you.
When we visited in the month of August, not even the all-day rain could stop Paronella’s magic from revealing itself. We had no idea what to expect when we arrived. Over the years we’ve had countless recommendations from our friends and family, but we weren’t really sure if the place would be a touristy gimmick. Safe to say that it’s popular for a good reason. The current owners have spent years and countless hours restoring the grounds and telling José Paronella’s incredible (and a little bit crazy) story.
The History of Paronella Park is as whimsical as they come
By far the most central part about a trip to Paronella Park is the story itself. If you’re open to getting immersed in the story, you will leave with a glowing review just like I did. Buckle up for this very brief introduction to the Paronella story.
Built in the 1930s by a man called José Paronella, everything you see in the park was made by hand. All the concrete was hand mixed and hand poured. José was a Spanish immigrant with big dreams. His story is one of struggle and hard work, making him a remarkable yet relatable character.
José sailed by boat to Australia from Spain and spent 11 years buying and selling farms. He eventually earned enough money to purchase the land that would eventually become Paronella Park. The quirkiest part of his story (if you ask me) is that when he returned to Spain to bring his fiancé back to Australia, he discovered that she’d married another man. Not to worry, he would just propose to his fiancé’s younger sister instead! So, off the two went, back to Australia to start building his dream castle.
Let the Building Begin
The work that they did there over the years was nothing short of extraordinary. They built a ballroom and theatre, a huge grand staircase, tennis courts, castles, pavilions and platforms with balconies, a kitchen and refreshments rooms, change rooms, and a museum. He even built a waterfall for his daughter, and a tunnel to get to it that’s now inhabited by bats!
Remarkably, they also planted over 7000 trees on the property – including the famous ‘Kauri Avenue’ which now stands towering above at over 30 metres tall.
Queensland’s First Hydro-Electric Power
Perhaps one of the most incredible parts of the Paronella story is that it’s the site of Queensland’s first ever privately-owned hydroelectric power plant. They built it next to Mena Creek Falls in 1933 to power the park. Mena Creek Falls flows year-round and is the creek that fed the main swimming hole back in the day. You wouldn’t believe it, but the power plant was restored in 2009, and now the Park once again runs entirely off hydro power.
Fires and floods have done their best to destroy Paronella Park over the years, and the crumbling cement was engineered all wrong. The park changed owners a few times after the José’s death, but against all the odds Paronella Park stands strong today.
The Current Owners – the true heroes
In 1993 Mark and Judy Evans purchased the Park, right on its death knell. They uncovered the ruins of the grand structures, almost too far gone, and saw the sparkle of José’s dream. They have worked tirelessly to restore the ruins and re-tell Jose’s story, and its current condition is a testament to their incredible dedication and vision. These days, Mark and Judy are closely involved in the tours and visitor interactions and are often seen greeting visitors around the park.
If the Paronella story is intriguing you so far, be assured that there’s still more to it. When you visit, you’ll get the full low-down plus plenty more sidenotes to add to the colour of this amazing tale.
Best Time of Year to Visit
Paronella Park is open to visitors all year round, but as the recent flooding in December of 2023 reminded us – wet season can be unpredictable. To avoid the possibility of storms and flooding hampering your trip, the best window would be during winter and the shoulder seasons. This means any time between April and November, but the closer to the middle of the year the better.
When is Paronella Park open?
Paronella Park is open 7 days a week (expect Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). So go ahead and plan your trip whenever you like! Daily, the park is open from 9.30am to 4.30pm for daytime tours. The tours depart periodically throughout the day, so don’t stress too much about timing your stop. Night tours are held at 6.15pm and go for 1-hour. In some times during peak season, tours run twice per night.
The true drawcard at Paronella Park
Of course, the grounds and the buildings as well as the story of Paronella Park are remarkable. But in my opinion, the thing that makes you feel like you’re part of the story is the incredible customer service and attention to detail. All the staff are friendly and knowledgeable and go above and beyond to make you feel welcome.
We wanted to stay a night in the campground, so we booked our spot online before arriving. When we arrived, we parked up and had barely got out of the car when a staff member came across the carpark to greet us. She asked about our booking and pointed us straight to where we needed to go. I can’t say I’ve ever experienced customer service like that before!
Once we had completed our night tour, Mark (one of the owners) came down to gift us with a small chunk of the castle that collapsed in Cyclone Larry in 2006. It was a great memento for us, plus a perfect way to make sure the collapsed castle didn’t go to waste.
Helpful Tips for Visiting
Want to know a bit more about the logistics of visiting Paronella Park before you plan your trip? I’ve got you covered. Read below to find the answers to some commonly asked questions.
Do you need to book Paronella Park?
If you’re just planning a day tour of the Park, I would say that bookings are not essential. Tours depart every 15 or 30 minutes throughout the whole day, so you’d have to be pretty unlucky to miss out. That being said – there’s never any harm in being organised!
If you want to stay overnight at the campground or in one of the chalets, bookings are essential. Staying overnight will also get you easy access to the night tours, which also need to be pre-booked.
When we visited, we planned to camp the night and had already booked that, but we didn’t know about the night tour. Once we learned that there was a night tour available, we just couldn’t resist. So, we just booked onto it at the main reception/café when we arrived.
Check out your options and make all your pre-bookings via the Paronella Park website.
Can you swim in Paronella Park?
While the pool below the Mena Creek waterfall was once upon a time the main attraction, it is no longer open for swimming. It used to be a public bathing pool where visitors could come and spend the day swimming and relaxing. Now the pool is home to resident eels, fish, and turtles.
How long does it take to walk around Paronella Park?
Most people spend about 2 or 3 hours to walk around and explore Paronella Park. But the amount of time you spend there is totally up to you. We spent a good 3 hours exploring all the nooks and crannies and stopping to look at all the amazing plants and flowers. The property itself is huge too. With 13 acres that you are invited to explore, it’ll take you a long time to run out of things to see.
I’ve seen a few shocking Paronella Park reviews come up online, but my take is that those who left the reviews didn’t take the time to get lost in the place. It’s really up to you how deeply you delve into the history, but there’s no shortage of quirks to uncover at Paronella Park!
What time is the Paronella Park night tour?
When we visited, the night tour at Paronella Park started at 6.15pm and went for about an hour.
The night tour included a whimsical light and sound show at the main castle area, and the owner came down to talk about the park and share some stories. After that we were able to roam around a little bit at our leisure. But since we had already spent a good few hours exploring during the day, we were ready for a cup of tea and a cosy snuggle in bed… so we didn’t stay too long!
The cost of visiting Paronella Park
Entry to Paronella Park costs $55 for adults, and children aged 5-15 cost $31. There are also family deals available. Some other Paronella Park reviews have mentioned that they think the pricing is a bit steep, but I had no qualms handing over my fee. I felt like it was great value for money, especially considering that the park and the story would not be alive without all the work and investment that continues to be put into it.
Each ticket includes the standard 30 minute guided walk that introduces you to the story and the park, and tours depart frequently throughout the day. A great extra that they offer is that all tickets are valid for 24 months, so you can in theory come back again any time for free! Though, unless you live in the area, I doubt many would take up the offer.
Once you’ve done the day tour, you’re free to roam and discover the whole park. The night tour is no extra cost – but you must pre-book it.
Camping at Paronella Park
Most people don’t know that you can stay overnight at Paronella Park for no extra cost! That was an amazing deal in our eyes, after having hopped from campground to campground around the Cairns area. The cost of a 1-night campsite at Paronella Park is included in the cost of your admission ticket.
Luckily for those visiting in 2024 and beyond, the owners have just opened a brand-new caravan park that’s right above the Mena Creek waterfall. It’s pet friendly, there are brand new powered sites, hot showers, laundry, and a camp kitchen. If you want to stay more than one night, additional nights cost $39 per site per night (for two adults). Be sure to book ahead for camping sites – it gets busy especially during peak season.
Cabins
If you’re not the camping type but still want to spend a night soaking in the wonder of Paronella Park, there are 6 cabins available on site. These are 2-person cabins, and they cost $105 per night on top of your admission fee. They’re old and quaint, but charming just the same. They’re light and bright on the inside and have everything you’d need. Be aware though that the cabins don’t have ensuites – you’ll have to use the caravan park amenities. These can be pre-booked online too.
Where to eat when you visit Paronella Park
There are a few surprisingly good food options when you’re at Paronella Park. There’s a café onsite which is perfect for relaxing and taking in the lush forest before or after your tour. If you’re on a tight budget, or just love getting amongst nature, the owners welcome picnics anywhere on the grounds.
Another great option is Mena Creek Hotel, plus it’s just a hop and a skip up the road. We took the suspension bridge over Mena Creek Falls and strolled up to this character-filled pub on the corner. It has great food, a friendly atmosphere, plus great views too! We booked a table on the day, and we were glad we did because it was very busy when we arrived.
My honest take on whether Paronella Park is worth a visit
Given all the hype, I was a little bit worried about what Paronella Park would be like. But after our visit, I had nothing but glowing reviews. It attracts people from all over the world for very good reason – a whimsical and captivating story told by dedicated hosts, and stunning lush grounds maintained by the devoted owners. Not to mention the main drawcard, the magical castles themselves.
It’s a place that seems trapped in time. I got lost in José’s story and felt every inch of pain and joy in the re-telling of the evolution of Paronella Park. It was easy to see that José’s visions had been brought back to life by the current owners, a testament to their tireless efforts. For me it captured the true essence of what human spirit really is – one man’s dreams honoured even decades after his passing, by people whose dreams are equally endless.
If I were ever to visit the region again, I wouldn’t think twice about returning to Paronella Park to hear the story one more time.
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