Sept 22, 2025 Parks-Part 2
After a lunch break we headed out to another park for the afternoon. Paronella Park, a short distance in the opposite direction from our rainforest adventure this morning, is a private park built in the 1930’s by José Paronella and his family. Mr. Paronella emigrated to Australia from Catalonia, Spain in 1913 and worked laboriously in the sugarcane fields until he could purchase, improve and resell sugarcane farms, amassing a fortune. He returned to Spain in 1924 and married, traveling throughout Europe for a honeymoon before heading back to Australia. He purchased 13 acres on Mena Creek, next to Mena Creek Falls to build his dream castle, pleasure gardens and reception center for the public to enjoy.
The pool below the falls is no longer protected from crocodiles, so swimming is not allowed! However, there are turtles, fish and eels that can be fed.
Opening in 1935 the park became a hub of entertainment for the region, having a ballroom with a stage for entertainment and a glittering ‘disco’ ball scattering multicolored light over the diners and dancers. On Saturdays the ballroom turned into a theater to show the latest movies. Picnic tables lined the creek shore and boats could be hired to paddle on the water. Nets kept crocodiles out so visitors could swim and frolic in the pool below the falls. During WW2 American soldiers relaxed and rejuvenated at the park with the locals. Mr. Paronella installed the first hydro-electric generating station in North Queensland in 1933 which was restored in 2009 and now generates the parks electricity!
The park circa 1933.
In 1946 a devastating cyclone hit the park and destroyed many of the structures in the lower reaches of the park. José and family rebuilt what they could and carried on. José died in 1948 and the family continued running the park until the 1970’s when it was sold to a succession of entrepreneurs. Several cyclones and a fire were challenges and the park was eventually abandoned until the current owners bought it in 1993. Their goal is to maintain and preserve the park, not to restore it completely to its previous condition. The ‘pleasure gardens’ have been resurrected from the rainforest jungle that was engulfing the site and are a pleasure to explore.
The bamboo garden is mirrored in the kauri lane. Over 7000 trees were planted by Mr. Paronella, including these Queensland kauri trees that he knew he would never see reach maturity. He planted them for future generations to enjoy.
The ‘Lower Refreshment Rooms’ with the fountain surrounded by the cast concrete fence. There were tennis courts behind me, now used as seating for the colorful nighttime experience.
We decided to have dinner at the nearby Mena Hotel and return at dusk for the Evening Experience!
The castle is lit up with colorful lights with a rousing soundtrack including lightning and thunder to evoke the many cyclones the park has weathered!