When families arrive at Dreamworld, Australia's most famous theme park on the Gold Coast, the first port of call for many is to turn left and head straight to the Thunder River Rapids ride.

Not only is it the closest attraction to the entrance to the iconic theme park – which was opened by former long-serving conservative premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen in 1981 – but it is regarded as one of the most family friendly, given it is a fairly tame ride through white-water rapids.