Twining Romance

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Nearly a century ago, Spanish sugarcane cutter José Paronella wanted to build a castle in the rainforest for his wife. The resulting wonderland—paronella Park— with vines twining on stone pillars and moss peeping out from fissures has been open to the public since 1935. Its current owners are dedicated to “maintaining and preserving” the primitive beauty of this renowned carbon neutral tourist attraction with 7,500 flora and fauna.