After spending the morning looking around Ingham we headed off toward Cairns. We decided to take a diversion from Tully inland to a little place called Mena Creek. Here there is a place called Paronella Park. When you buy your tickets you get a free stay in a paddock behind the local hotel. We decided to do this. Shortly after setting up the Paronella Park mini bus picked us up and took us down the road to the park.

Paronella Park was built by a Spanish man called Jose Paronella. He purchased the land (13 acres) in 1929 and set about building his childhood dream of a castle. It's an amazing story of hard work and dedcation. In 1933 Jose built a hydro electric plant at the site utilising the waterfall. This was the first hydro plant in Queensland. Jose opened Paronella park to the public in 1935.

A lot has happened since then including fire, floods and cyclones. The park lay dormant and overgrown by rain forrest for 14 years before being purchased by the current owners in 1993.

The park is again open to the public but the once palacial buildinds are now just skeletons. It reminds me of the "Great Gatsby" era where the rich and famous would all gather together in lavish fashion. You can just imagine the parties, ballroom events and social gatherings that were held here back in the day. A really interesting place to visit. We went back in the evening and did the night tour. This put a different perspective on the park as they light up the old waterfall and old castle buildings.