Paronella Park: The Spanish castle near Cairns, Queensland
Paronella Park is near Innisfail in Far North Queensland. This quirky tourist attraction offers a combo of Spanish castle, tropical gardens, waterfalls and a sound and light show.
Paronella Park in Queensland is one of Australia’s great oddities. It is part castle, part gardens, part folly and part nature reserve.
Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday
- Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
- Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
- Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
- Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
- Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
- Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
- Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.
This far north Queensland attraction is the work of Catalan cane-cutter José Paronella. From 1929, he bought the land and set to work on an outlandish castle complex made of stone and reinforced concrete. On the way, he planted 7,000 trees and installed a hydroelectric power system.
In the intervening years, Paronella Park has changed hands several times, and it is currently run as a tourist attraction. The buildings of this Spanish Castle near Cairns are partially reclaimed by the jungle, but it’s a delightfully weird sight and a popular wedding venue.
Where is Paronella Park, Queensland?
Paronella Park is in Mena Creek just off the Innisfail Japoon Road in far north Queensland. The closest town is Innisfail, 19km to the north-east. But Paronella Park is reasonably easy to access from Cairns – it’s 108km to the south. It’s also a decent contender for a detour on the Townsville to Cairns drive up the Queensland coast.
What is there to do at Paronella Park near Cairns?
Paronella Park is basically somewhere to mooch around. Clamber on the buildings, which have something of a Lost City vibe. Then amble through the five hectares of tropical rainforest gardens, stopping to admire the on-site waterfall. During the day, there’s a half hour tour explaining the history and quirks of the park. At night, the tours last 45 minutes and include a sound and light show.
Paronella Park ticket prices
Entrance prices to Paronella Park are pretty expensive. It’s $52 a head if you book online. Alternatively, you can pay $70 for a combo ticket which also includes the Mamu Tropical Skywalk in the nearby Wooroonooran National Park.
Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance
- From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
- At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
- For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
- For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
- For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.
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