Dreamworld is set to reopen on Friday with limited rides and attractions available and all entry proceeds going to charity – the move comes just days after the tragic deaths of four people at the theme park.
On Wednesday afternoon a spokesperson for Dreamworld said the gates to Australia’s largest amusement park would open at 11am with all entry fees to be donated to the Australian Red Cross.
Dreamworld also said it would hold a private ceremony for staff and emergency services affected by the accident.
“We hope this will be considered the start of the healing process for all concerned,” the theme park’s management said in a statement.
Victims of the Dreamworld tragedy: Luke Dorsett, Kate Goodchild and Roozi Araghi.
Victim Cindy Low.
On Tuesday Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett, his partner Roozi Araghi and Sydney mum Cindy Low were killed when the Thunder River Rapids ride malfunctioned.
Goodchild and Low also had their children accompanying them on the doomed ride but both were flung to safety and survived the incident.
In the wake of the tragedy Dreamworld has emphasised it has a commitment to safety and say the ride passed a safety check just last Friday.
“Dreamworld under the leadership of Craig Davidson, the CEO has demonstrated a commitment to developing and maintaining a strong safety culture across all departments,” said David Randall, Managing Director of DRA Safety Specialists.
“Annual audits have resulted in continuous improvement in the management of safety.”
Ms Goodchild’s husband, David, was on holidays with his wife and family on the Gold Coast and while he wasn’t on the ride he witnessed the incident. He has now made the heartbreaking decision to return home to Canberra with his two young kids.
His father Graham said he was so distressed he hasn’t been able to speak about what happened.
“They haven’t even told us completely what happened but I know that tonight there will be two very traumatised children coming back home,” Graham Goodchild told News Corp from Canberra.
Ms Low was a New Zealand expat living in Sydney with her two children. Her family are said to be shattered by the loss.
“The family are traumatised, and kindly request that their privacy be respected as they try to come to terms with this tragic loss,” they said in a statement on Wednesday.
The devastated mum of Kate and Luke has spoken about her overwhelming grief. Talking about the loss of both her children Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, grieving mum Kim Dorsett, who was also on the holiday, said her family is “absolutely devastated”.
“We are just devastated, absolutely devastated,” she told The Courier Mail.
“I have three children and have lost two of them today — my whole family has been wiped out.
“I have two granddaughters — an eight-month-old and a 12-year-old — and it truly breaks my heart to know that my eight-month-old is never going to get to know her mum.”
The investigation of the horrific incident continues.
VIDEO: When it happened: Fatal amusement-ride accident at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast
