Paronella Park

Paronella Park, Mena Creek

Stop 10 - 71kms

Well this is one of the stops that I HAVE BEEN HANGING OUT FOR... I have been waiting for us to get close enough to go here! And after researching when we were closer, your entry ticket to the park includes 1 night free camping at the Park! BONUS!!

Now I have had a really hard time choosing photos for Paronella Park, we took over 400 photos in 24hrs, we did 2 tours and a free walk around the next morning...AND we can come back as many times as we like in the next 2 years for free...no more free camping though :-(

So this is a BRIEF version of our day at Paronella Park....

www.paronellapark.com.au and if you dont like our photos check out theirs www.paronellapark.com.au/highres

A little introduction...The Park is the dream of Jose Paronella who built these castles and grounds around 2 waterfalls and even built an underground tunnel, tennis courts, fountains...not to mention QLDS first hydroelectric system...and all this in 1913! Oh and I also forgot to mention...built it HIMSELF by HAND...by hand being; buckets of mud and sand being carted up the great staircase millions of times... I could go on and on and on...and our photos dont even do it justice! You just have to go there!

Top Castle

Yeng..our hillarious day tour guide! We loved him x

Entrance to the Ball Room

Top Castle, Room above Ballroom

Landing with the hydroplant underneath

Grand Staircase...the first of many many stairs

The Swimming and Picnic Area

Main Falls

Lower Castle/Refreshment Rooms beside the tennis courts

Kauri Avenue - Kauri Pines leading to the falls

Pond and Original Fountains

Tennis viewing platform

Change rooms

Old Diving Platform... You have been able to swim here since the park was open up until this year when someone saw a small croc on the bank...oh well!

They used to show movies in the theatre

suspension bridge above falls

me dancing with my invisible partner in the ball room

the walls were 'hand rendered' literally with his hands!

 Now we got a little excited about panoramas and it saved a few thousand photos!

And the night tour...

bentwing bats...

There are hundreds of fish during the day and a few eels lurking, but at night
so so so many eels! making wierd slurping sounds waiting to be fed

George patting the eels...

Castle at night...

I have been saying to George for weeks/months that I wanted a devonshire tea...so...finally

I could write so much more about this place and I know I have not mentioned all the cool stuff that we did and George is calling over my shoulder not to forget this and that..but Im tired and will add more in a comment later...and I really dont want to spoilt it for you...I want you to go there... anywhoo...

Off to Cairns tomorrow.

PS I have only just worked out how to date things correctly so blog might be a little out of order for the next few entries... :-)