Dreamworld theme park’s reopening set to be announced for mid-December following tragedy
DREAMWORLD will reopen on December 10, just in time for Christmas, more than six weeks after the tragedy which claimed the lives of four people.
Gold Coast
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DREAMWORLD will reopen on December 10, just in time for Christmas and more than six weeks after the tragedy which claimed the lives of four people.
Park bosses will hold a press conference today at which they are expected to announce a reopening next week following discussions with the families of those killed on the Thunder River Rapids Ride.
DREAMWORLD TRAGEDY: HOW OUR GOLD COAST RALLIED TOGETHER
Ardent Leisure chief executive Deborah Thomas flew into the Gold Coast yesterday morning ahead of the announcement, as city councillors voted to fund a $200,000 charm offensive to spruik the city’s attractions.
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Both Dreamworld and WhiteWater World will open Saturday December 10, according to a letter sent to the ASX this morning.
According to the letter lodged with the ASX, the closure of the parks through the month of December meant no significant revenue was received, compared with the $7.6 million of income for the same time in 2015.
In addition to the lost revenue, the park’s operating costs for the month were up to $4.2 million.
Dreamworld is also expected to incur around $1.6 million in one-off costs associated with the tragedy, net of expected insurance recoveries.
Dreamworld CEO Craig Davidson said every single attraction opening on 10th December will have passed an unprecedented multi-level safety review, encompassing Workplace Health and Safety Queensland’s audit, Dreamworld’s internal engineering review, Pitt & Sherry’s independent review and the external peer-review by UK based theme park safety specialists, LTC.
“Every ride and slide open on 10th December will have passed this rigorously conducted,
multi-level safety review,” he said.
“Additionally, Royal Lifesaving Queensland representatives will have completed an audit of
the water park’s lifesaving procedures and safety signage.”
“Both parks will open to the public on 10th and 11th December with a special “Open Hearts —
Open Doors” Charity Weekend” said Mr Davidson.
“Furthermore $25 from every guest entry fee from the Charity Weekend will be donated to
the Red Cross and Dreamworld will also contribute the $25 donation on behalf of all prepaid
ticket and passholders.
“These funds will be distributed to those affected by the tragedy through the GIVIT Appeal
Independent Distribution Committee.
“Other rides will open progressively as they are signed off by the safety review process. The
Dreamworld website will provide regular updates for guests to find out which attractions are
open to the public and when those yet to open, will do so. A special summer ticket price will
be in place.”
Mr Davidson also announced a six-month extension for all passholders
It comes as a close friend of the mother of two Dreamworld victims said the theme park’s management had been in constant contact with the family about the reopening.
DISASTER APPEAL LAUNCHED WITH $100K
Sandra Brookfield said Kim Dorsett, the mother of Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett who were killed, was taking the reopening in her stride.
“She told me just this week the park would be opening in the next two weeks,” she said.
“I asked her how she felt about it and she said it had to happen eventually.
“It is still quite raw for her but she said she understands.
GIVIT GOLD COAST APPEAL SURPASSES $400,000
“It was always going to reopen eventually and there are people who need their jobs.
“The theme park has been in contact with her often — there have been no problems there.”
Ardent is understood to have been losing around $295,000 a day since the tragic incident on October 25 in which Ms Goodchild, Mr Dorsett, Cindy Low and Roozbeh Aragh died.
DREAMWORLD SHUTS DOWN RIVER RAPIDS
A decision to close the ride was made soon after the accident and the 30-year-old attraction is now being dismantled.
Ms Brookfield said Ms Dorsett had been seeing a counsellor.
“She is just taking it one day at a time — it’s all she can do,” she said.
“The main thing for the family is that everything is safe there.
“They don’t want to see this happen to anyone else.”
DREAMWORLD TO REMAIN CLOSED TO ADDRESS 10 IMPROVEMENTS
Dreamworld bosses last week vowed not to reopen the park until eight safety defect notices issued by Workplace Health and Safety were resolved, even though they did not involve the safety of riders.
None of the notices related to the ride on which the fatalities happened.
Yesterday the city’s political leaders moved to try and ease the economic pain caused by the bad publicity by pumping funds into a new promotional campaign.
GOLD COAST COUNCIL TO SPEND $100,000 TO PROMOTE CITY
Councillors voted unanimously to provide half of the funding for the Gold Coast Tourism campaign to boost the industry. The state government will provide the other $100,000.
Deputy Mayor Donna Gates said the campaign would highlight the wide range of activities available on the Coast.
“This funding was purely a gesture to support the tourism industry and to highlight the broader experiences that are available,” she said.
Cr Gates said as far as she was aware most tourism operators had not been adversely affected but widening the campaign was a pre-emptive strike to ensure a strong Christmas holiday period.
The pre-summer campaign will include advertising in the prime daytrip areas of Brisbane and northern NSW, television and radio in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and northern NSW and online content in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
Gold Coast Tourism members will also offer holidays and deals throughout the campaign.
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