A Landscape of Dreams
Our stunning ‘Gaugin’ campaign continues our saison des célébrations, paying homage to our favourite French things. For this exotic collection, we chose to head to Cairns’ unique paradise—Paronella Park, to bring our new art-inspired line vibrantly to life.
L'histoire of Paronella Park—a story of love and personal discovery
In 1913 Catalonian José Paronella began his journey in Australia working on cane sugar farms. The next year, he sighted 13 acres of scrub on the land he would one day call Paronella Park.
Today, the story goes that José dreamed of creating a castle as an ode to his wife Margarita and purchased the property in 1929. His grandson, Joe Panorella, believes José built the castle to prove what men are capable of with hard work.
In 1935, after extensive labour, the park opened to the public. Famous for its movie theatre and dance hall, through the years Paronella Park hosted countless parties and events and eventually became a popular site for weddings.
No doubt due to the park’s fantastical atmosphere, the site even inspired the floating city of Laputa in Hayao Miyazaki’s 1986 film Castle in the Sky. Today it’s one of Queensland’s most popular tourist attractions celebrated for its unique beauty and environmentally focused initiatives.
A Parfait Discovery
With its Gaudi-esque architecture located in the lush Queensland jungle, Paronella Park is a must-see. Here’s what our creative director Donna Guest had to say about the location:
“Full of romance and steeped in history, Paronella Park is one of my favourite destinations when visiting Cairns. ”
Visit Paronella Park, 1671 Japoonvale Rd (Old Bruce Highway)
Mena Creek, Queensland 4871