Queensland is a home to many natural wonders you have to see to believe, but one of its most stunning attractions just happens to be a creation of a Spanish visionary. Almost a century ago, José Paronella transformed five hectares of lush jungle in fairy tale estate Paronella Park.
Paronella first visited Australia on his honeymoon, and his love for this country was so strong that he spent an entire decade creating the estate of his dreams. He started by planting thousands of trees, and built everything from a grand castle to hydroelectric generating plant until 1935, when the park officially opened its doors.
This natural wonder was Paronella’s labor of love, but many natural disasters threatened its existence in the following decades. Mark and Judy Evans eventually purchased it from Paronella’s descendants and opened it to the public.
If you’re thinking about seeing it in person, you’ll have to set aside $47 to spend three hours exploring its natural and man-made wonders, which have attracted thousands of tourists and won countless awards over the years.