Dreamworld to remain closed until after funerals

Dreamworld has formally reversed its call on reopening, saying it will remain closed until after the victims’ funerals.

A private memorial was attended by some 400 to 500 Dreamworld staff at the park. Picture: Glenn Hunt/The Australian.

Queensland theme park Dreamworld will remain closed until the funerals of all four victims who died on Tuesday have been held.

Dreamworld chief executive Craig Davidson made the announcement in a statement to the media this afternoon.

“No attraction in this park will reopen until internal and external safety audits are completed and peer reviewed,” he said.

Dreamworld was originally expected to reopen this weekend apart from the Thunder Rivers Rapids ride which was to be remain closed pending police investigation into the deaths of four people on Tuesday.

The company was forced to backtrack on its plans yesterday after discussion with the police.

Mr Davidson was speaking after a private memorial attended by some 400 to 500 Dreamworld staff at the park.

He said he would be providing regular updates on safety audits which will be conducted in addition to investigations by Queensland authorities.

Mr Davidson said Dreamworld was “focussed on co-operating with relevant authorities with regard to the investigation.”

“As a team, Dreamworld will stand shoulder to shoulder to get to the bottom of what has occurred,” he said.

He said there had been misreporting of the operation of the Thunder River Rapids Ride but he said he could not comment any further on the details of the accident.

“Dreamworld will not jeopardise in any way the integrity of the operation.”

It came after Ardent Leisure CEO Deborah Thomas today led a private memorial service at the park, attended by hundreds of staff.

Leading a procession to lay flowers at the entrance, the under-fire chief executive said the service had been very emotional but also “beautiful”.

Investors continue to pummel Ardent Leisure shares, which dropped 11 cents, or 5.1 per cent, to $2.04 on Friday. They have fallen by more than 20 per cent since the deaths on Tuesday.

Ardent Leisure CEO Deborah Thomas.

“It is very emotional, but what is important here is all of our people are here,” she said. “We had the most wonderful ceremony and we’re all here today to be part of the family — to hug each other, to provide support to each other.

“This is a great group of people. Everybody has been moved by this, everybody is suffering from this.”

with Mark Schliebs and Sarah Vogler