Monday (8 Sept) we drove for 1.5 hours to Paronella Park. Jose Paronella was born in Spain in the late 1800 and his dream was to build a castle. After many years of travelling and hard work he chose 5 hectres beside Mena Creek Falls where he built his castle, picnic areas by the falls, tennis courts, bridges, a tunnel, planted an amazing range of 7500 tropical plants and trees. He commenced all this hard work in 1930, cost 30,000 pounds and was opened to the public in 1935. He did ALL this work with the assistance of only 2 other people. The park has survived floods, fires and neglect after changing hands due to death in the family. It's an amazing place and the pictures really do not show the magic of the place. The current owners have so much work ahead of them.
This was the original tea rooms. Everything was hand built with sand and clay from the river on Paronella's property. All hand carried.
This water feature was the last item built, it stands in front of the tea rooms.These stairs were the very first construction on the property, there are 47 steps (steep) and Paronella and his 2 workers carried all the sand and clay up each day - at least 40-50 times each! Imagine the strength of these men.
These are the fall that he used to supply electricity to his property. People also swam here, there was also a diving area.
Neil feeling the fish that now live here.
These stairs were hard work!
Top of falls.
Paronella, his wife, son and daughter are remembered. 2 grandsons live in the area and visit the park.
Suspension bridge over the falls.
Water feature.
Stairs looking down.
Note the roots on this tree!
Fungus growing on an old tree
A row of Kauri pine trees, there are so many beautiful plants in this garden. Below are bromides growing up a tree trunk.
have a look at their web site : www.paronellapark.com.au
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