15/9/2012
Paronella Park to Wongaling Beach The day started with the 9:30am
Paronella Park walk, where we learnt all about Jose Paronella who's
dream it was to have a castle in the rainforest near a waterfall - and
he certainly achieved it !

Jose was a Spaniard, who came in
search of a better life and found it, he went home to fetch his bride
only to fine she had married some one else - as you do 11 years later
with no Internet or telephones to keep you up to date . So he married her sister instead.

Unfortunately years of cyclones, floods, fires etc has taken its toll, but it is being restored and the tale kept alive.

The castle is truly magical, the ruins are in tropical gardens complete
with waterfalls, fountains, bamboo archways and an avenue of Kauri
trees.
Its a MUST SEE if you are near Innisfail.

We had been told about Kurramine Beach - there is campground there right on the beach - it is lovely. We will stay here next time - but this time it was just a picnic lunch stop. We were entertained by the pelicans being fed by the fishermen.

Our Mission - was Mission Beach - put simple it is very commercialized, the caravan parks are expensive and like all tourist towns not very personable. We walked the town, investigated the caravan parks and decided to go to the lesser known town of Wongaling Beach .

For us, this was a good move - the well run Bali Hai holiday park was right over the road from the beach - where the sky divers land. Round the corner is a pub which filled the boys requirement to watch the rugby - it is walking distance but they have a complimentary mini bus service to. The meal went down well - extra entertainment was by way of the 40th birthday party revelers who were all dressed as something starting with the letter V - "VB Bittter" got our vote.

The Bali Hai also accommodate the back packers, most of which are there to sky dive - so we had a fun time watching their hot off the press ,sky diving videos, with them, in the lounge area.