Tuesday Voice: A magical part of Queensland history

Main castle side view

Paronella Park

By Vic Midyett

My wife and I recently visited Paronella Park in northern Queensland, South of Cairns. José Paronella, originally a baker from Spain, immigrated to Australia to make his fortune as a young man around the turn of the twentieth century. He first bought land and planted sugar cane—a very successful venture. Sugar cane is the main crop from central Queensland to the north. Millions of acres of it as far as the eye can see.
    Before José left Spain, however, he was, by family arrangement, to marry. It was seven years before he returned for his betrothed. Unfortunately, she had long since given up on him and married someone else...So José married her younger sister and brought her to Australia.
    They had two children, a boy and a girl. The son died of a heart attack in his early 40's, the daughter only two years ago.
    José Paronella's boyhood dream was to build a castle. He chose a special part of Australia and created Paronella Park, which opened in 1935.

Main castle—other side view. Ice cream parlor was in bottom level

Gravity-fed water fountain—never stops—and area for weddings
and other functions (one tennis court was turned into a dance floor;
musicians' elevated platform slightly visible at far right)

    José fulfilled his dream on 14 acres beside Mena Creek Falls. There he built several picnic areas with tables and benches made of concrete that are still there, even after several floods buried them up to 70 feet deep.

Stone and concrete tables and chairs

Popular wedding-photo area and picnic spots

Another angle

Night shot of waterfall from bottom level

Night shot of waterfall from top level

    There are also tennis courts, bridges, and a tunnel. José wrapped it all up in an amazing range of 7,500 tropical plants and trees.

Tropical pine tree walkway

    The most interesting part for me was that he built his own hydroelectric plant using one side of the constantly flowing water fall. It was the first privately owned power plant in Queensland. And this was in 1933. The neighboring town didn't have electricity for another 20 years.

Two-thirds of the original walkway to top of the hydro plant
still standing and usable

New part and better view of the water needed for the hydro

    José died of cancer in his early 60's. The "ruins" now are covered in moss and small ferns growing all over the concrete structures. (José built over 5.000 concrete flower boxes and over 8,000 concrete balustrades. He did all the design and over 80% of the construction himself.)

Concrete steps and railing to lower pool;
notice the embedded flat rocks in the railing for added effect

    For the headers over windows and doorways, he used train rail. He built a ballroom for weddings and functions. Unfortunately, a cyclone took out the roof and some of the walls, but the current owners are raising the $2 million to rebuild it to its original glory.
    It is truly a magical place to visit. You can very easily imagine José watching his family and the public frolicking, exploring, eating, visiting, swimming, and loving each other around his creation. Did I mention he also had an ice cream parlor? On weekends and special occasions he hired a jazz band to play on their own purpose built platform above the dancing area.
    There are several walkways going in different directions featuring other quiet, romantic nooks and crannies and sitting areas. All these pathways have views of the water fall.

Same stairway to lower pool/wedding/picnic area

Musicians' raised platform (José favored jazz)

    After you leave, you realize you've been touched by a magical part of history and one man's boyhood dream fulfilled. It time-warped me into myself, completely engulfing me in a spiritual space. Did I have a boyhood dream? Did you? What have we done about it? What will we do about it? I wonder.
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Copyright © 2013 by Vic Midyett

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