Park "Paronella" - tourist attraction at 120 km south of Cairns.

The park was built in the 1930s, an immigrant from Spain Jose Paronelloy. Jose arrived in Australia from Catalonia in 1913. After 11 years he returned to his native Spain, where in 1925 he married Margarita and took it to the 'green' continent. In 1929, Jose bought a plot of land - 13 acres - in the Bay of Maine and began building here places of entertainment to the public.

First, Jose and Margarita built a house for himself, and then began the construction of the Castle.

Except for the house, which is built of stone, the rest of the design of the park made of concrete. In 1935 the park was opened to the public. Every Saturday at the local movie theater showing films. When removed the chairs, the hall turned into a dance floor. The real miracle in those years, was suspended from the ceiling a huge spinning ball covered 1270 small mirror fragments. In the mid-1960s Paronella has become a popular venue for weddings. Heavy concrete tables in the lower tea garden and pool were incredibly popular, however, and they remain so today. In 1933, the waterfalls of the park built a hydroelectric power station, the first private hydroelectric power station in Queensland. Later the station was decommissioned.

Jose planted in the park more than 7,000 trees, including a magnificent New Zealand Agathis (also known as kauri), forming an alley Kauri.

The first disaster struck the park in 1946 - caused severe floods and landslides they almost completely destroyed the labor of life Jose. But the family did not lose heart: Jose repaired buffet, built a fountain, renovated castle, the newly planted trees in the garden, and the park has begun to live a new life. Later floods destroyed more than once construction of the park - in 1967, 1972 and 1974. In 1979 Paronella was severely damaged by fire. For some time, the park was closed to the public.

In 1993 the park acquired by Mark and Judy Evans, who decided to revive the landmark for the Queensland seat. But they decided not to restore Paronellu in its original form, and spend only the necessary repairs, and further demonstrate the traces of history and natural destruction. Their concept was a success - from 1998 to 2009, the park became a winner of more than 20 travel awards. In 2004 Paronella was named the main attraction in Queensland.