Paronella Park Admission Tickets & Guided Tours: It’s an invitation to step back in time and discover the incredible story of José Paronella, a true Aussie dreamer, in the midst of 5 hectares of gorgeous tropical rainforest, waterfalls and hand-built old buildings right in the heart of Tropical North Queensland.
Price options
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Adults from 59,00 A$
-
Child (5-15 years) from 33,00 A$
Departure Time
- 180 min
- Departs: All day, 1671 Innisfail Japoon Rd, Mena Creek QLD 4871
- Mena Creek, QLD
Introduction
Take a look at Paronella Park Admission – the park where the incredible story of José Paronella comes to life. This bloke had a vision and turned it into the fairytale castle and gardens that are now a big part of Mena Creek’s history.
From the moment you get there, you’re surrounded by history, the sounds of nature, and some real Aussie ingenuity. Your park visit starts with a guided tour called The Dream Continues, which brings the whole story of the park to life. After that, head on out to explore the tropical gardens, take a look at the waterfalls, check out the old hydro-electric generator from the 1930s, get up close and personal with some local wildlife, and find your own way through the peaceful rainforest trails.
You should probably allow at least 3 hours, but if you’re like a lot of our visitors, you’ll probably want to stay longer. It’s okay to do so because your ticket is valid for up to 24 months.
Details
- Where We Are: Mena Creek, in the Tropical North Queensland region
- Opening Hours & Days Off: We are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm every day, except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when we close.
- How Long to Spend With Us: A minimum of 3 hours is recommended so you can take it all in.
Ticket Prices (Valid Till 31 March 2026)
- Adults: $59
- Pensioners: we give them a bit of a break at $54
- Children between 5 & 15 years old: $33
- Family of 2 Adults & 2 Children: $174
- Family of 2 Adults & 3 Children: $184
Cabin Stays (Optional Extra): If you want to stay in one of our cabins, it’s an additional $115 per night (maximum 2 people per cabin), and you’ll need to add ticket prices on top of that.
Highlights
- 30-35 minute storytelling tour, led by one of our guides
- Explore the historic castle ruins and all the hidden tunnels
- 1930s hydro-electric generator, which is all properly restored and still goes – pretty cool
- 5 hectares of beautiful tropical rainforest gardens
- Our self-guided Botanical Walk (you get a 16-page booklet to help you navigate it all)
- Fish feeding and spotting the local wildlife
- Museum all about the History in Photos (you might be surprised by what you learn)
- Our Café on the Deck is serving up all sorts of treats using local produce
- Umbrellas and a courtesy car to get you around the place
- And as a special bonus, you get a year and a bit to come back and see us again for free
What you can actually see!
Booking
What You Can Expect
Arrival & Getting Oriented
When you arrive at Paronella Park, we’ll need to see some ID and your booking confirmation before we let you in. As soon as you’re all checked in, you can join our main tour, which departs every 30 minutes from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The Tour (30-35 minutes)
Our guide will take you on a real whirlwind tour of the park, and we tell the whole story of José Paronella, the man who had a dream, and learn all about how that dream turned into something amazing. You’ll see all our restored castle ruins, the grand staircase, and the hidden spots that are just off the beaten track.
Take Your Time – We're Not Rushing You
After the guided tour, you’re free to wander at your own pace:
- Go for a walk in the rainforest
- Follow the Botanical Walk (use the booklet to help you make the most of it)
- Check out that 1930s generator we told you about
- Feed the fish in the creek (all part of the fun!)
- Visit the museum and browse the gift shop – plenty of treasures in there
Evening Extension – If You're Staying On
Why not stick around and join us for our night tour, The Darkness Falls (about 45 minutes)? The whole park gets lit up, and it’s pretty magical.
Our Flora & Fauna Friends
Paronella Park is nestled in the heart of a tropical rainforest that’s one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world.
Some of the Amazing Creatures You Might See:
- Ulysses butterflies
- Cairns birdwing butterflies
- Boyd’s forest dragon
- Hercules moth (seasonal)
- Southern cassowaries (hanging out in the surrounding rainforest)
- Skinks and geckos, all living in our rainforest home
We have over 150 bird species and a range of other animals – including tree-kangaroos, pademelons and flying foxes (mostly nocturnal).
When you buy a ticket with us, you get:
- The full tour with one of our guides
- Your very own botanical walk booklet
- A souvenir guidebook/map to help you find your way around
- You can come back and visit us for free any time within 2 years
We’ve also got a courtesy car to help get you around, umbrellas to keep you dry, and fish food for the fish
And of course, you can visit the museum as many times as you like.
Bonus: 1 night free in our Van Park, but you gotta book it in advance (max one night) and don’t forget to pay the site fees.
- Overnight cabin stay, a pretty pricey $115 per night
- Caravan and camping sites also require a booking, you know
- Café meals and snacks
- Gift shop spends
- Darkness Falls Night Tour: get the scoop by calling 07 4065 0000 to book directly.
- Comfy shoes
- A hat and some decent sunscreen (don’t get caught out in the rainforest without it!)
- Insect spray, you don’t want to be eating out of the fridge with some unwanted critter friends
- A camera to snap the memories
- A refillable water bottle (it’s the right thing to do, and your wallet will thank you)
- A light rain jacket, it’s the rainforest, after all
- And if you’ve got a wee one, a baby carrier, no strollers with wheels smaller than a 70’s skateboard
- We’re closed Christmas Day (Dec 25), so don’t even think about trying to rock up then
- On the day before, we knock off at 6 pm, and the Evening Experience is cancelled, just thought you’d want to know
- If you need to cancel, be aware that there’s a 15% fee
- Prices include GST, just in case you were wondering
- You can get a refund if you need to pass out, so that’s a good thing
- And when you get here, bring some ID and the credit card you used to book, no need for any stuff to sort out
Paronella Park is a pretty big place, 13 acres to be exact, and you’ll need to navigate the whole thing. There’s a 47-step staircase that’ll get you from the bottom to the top, and then you’ll have concrete and gravel pathways to worry about.
If you’ve got mobility issues:
- We’re good with that. We’ve got a 4WD for you to use, just be able to get in and out on your own, and the other pathways are pretty straightforward
- (and no, we won’t get too caught up in ” worst-case scenario” stuff, a small step here and there is all we’re talking about)
For families:
- If you’re pushing a pram, a big one’s probably easier on the pathways
- Baby carriers, yeah, they’re a good idea
- (small steps along the way shouldn’t be too much of a worry)
The Café on the Deck’s got some good stuff, mostly light meals, Devonshire tea, and some of the local produce, so you should be pretty right. And if you want to bring your own picnic, fair enough. For the special-needs group, it might be a good idea to call ahead and let us know.
If you need to pull the plug, you’ll lose 15%
Prices can change at any time, with no warning
Booking an overnight stay? Only do it over the phone
FAQ
How long should I plan for?
Minimum of 3 hours, but, honestly, most people stay a lot longer.
Is the guided tour included?
Yup, The Dream Continues Tour is part of the deal.
Can I pop back another day?
Yes, you can. Your ticket’s valid for 2 years from the date you purchased it.
Are pets allowed?
Sorry, no, we’ve got to keep the wildlife safe.
Can I stay the night?
Absolutely, cabins and other options are available, but you’ll need to book in advance.
Is it a good spot for kids?
Yeah, this is the place, the castle ruins, feeding the fish, they’ll have a blast.