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Sugar plantations, historic sights and colorful vineyards along the Canecutter Way trail make a tour of Northern Queensland a delightful family road trip.

With apologies to Shelley: “My name is Paronella, King of the Cane Cutters. Look upon my works, ye travelers and rejoice.”

It’s easy to be overcome by one’s inner poet while walking through the rainforest near Innisfail in Australia’s Northern Queensland region. For there, almost hidden by vines and leaves, is the turret of a romantic Spanish castle; a little further are two vine-covered towers; over there a moss-covered bridge; oh, the crumbling ballroom....

What is a Spanish Castle Doing in the Tropics of Australia?

In the late 1800’s, Jose Paronella, a little boy in a poor village in the hills of northeastern Spain, sat at the feet of his grandmother. There, in their simple stone and mud hut, he heard stories about romantic Spanish castles and nobles who lived lives of excitement and chivalry. Jose eventually migrated to Australia and made his fortune in the sugar cane fields of North Queensland. His dream developed into the castle that he built by a river, south of the township of Innisfail.

Everything was built by hand -- the grand staircase, the pavilion and ornamental pool, a magnificent castle tower, and grand ballroom complete with a chandelier. Based on the romantic Moorish garden designs of his native Spain, Jose carved out gardens from the wild rainforest, utilizing water, bridges and walls. Different sections were created -- some were open and some contained, such as the ‘secret garden’ reached by a dark tunnel, a vine enclosed grotto and a tower reached by steep steps.

Visitors soon came from miles around and Paronella’s castle was famous for many years. Jose died in 1948 and it seemed his dream died with him, helped along by floods and fire which destroyed parts of the grounds and structures. The park was sold out of the family in 1979 and further ruined by more floods and a cyclone. Nature took over the grounds and reclaimed the park. The Spanish dream was buried along with it.

In the 1990’s, the Evans Family discovered a turret appearing in the wilderness and became inspired by Jose’s dream. They bought the park in 1993 and restored some of the walkways and gardens, however, left much of it as it was, simply preserving and maintaining the almost hidden effect of a ruin lost in the jungle. Mark and Judy Evans are carrying a dream also, to preserve not just a beautiful and unique place of wonder and history, but a monument to a passionate dreamer.