We travelled through to Cairns on vacation in October 2006 and were impelled to call in on a hidden away and little known of place called Paronella Park on the return journey. My wife had heard me speak of it over the past years but I don't think she realised just what I was talking about or the effect it had had on me as a small child but she realised after our tour, just what had drawn me back after so many years.
From memory, as a child, my father took our family there when it was still on the main highway. It was about 40 years ago, the park was still fully functional and the ballroom with it's hugh big crystal ball light was still in use, this magical place was a wonderland where children's minds would be filled with fairies, princes & princesses, ogres and trolls, Knights and Kings and Queens, what an experience this was for us as children, we played and our imaginations ran wild for what seemed like days but was only a few hours, still the memories of this place had gripped me like no other and was burned into my memory till this day.

At the time, what my parents had experienced during our visit, meant little to me as I was hopelessly  involved in my own imaginings, until my last visit in 2006 with my lovely wife Cherry. It was then that Cherry and I realised the magnificence and enormity of Jose Paronella's love, devotion and determination. On our journey through the park the love that must have been in his heart for his princess (she must have been a princess for any man to build her a castle) crept into our own hearts and our thoughts, it was overwhelming.

The story which was narrated expertly and with conviction by the tour guide as we traversed through the myriad of tracks, bridges, tunnels and pelmented concrete structures resembling Spanish castles at times tore at the strings of our hearts, for we ourselves, are truly in love and could feel and understand the power of this mans being eminating from every inch of Paronella Park. 

Again, powerful memories have been etched into my mind of this unusal wonderland and the story behind it's origin, it's survival and continuing existance, thank you Luke, your family and your team of devoted personel for transporting myself and my wife back to a time when romance and loyalty had value, where childrens minds were filled with fairytails and that there are still people who genuinly care. Even the decimation of the forest canopy by cyclone Larry could not take away what we felt on this occassion, Paronella Park must be preserved at whatever cost.

We wish you and your team all the luck in the world in recieving the "Hidden Jewel Award", you deserve it, you have earned it and the people need to experience it.

Sincerely and with great thanks

JOHN & CHERRY

Redcliffe. QLD. Australia