Dreamworld cancels plan to reopen Friday for memorial

Dreamworld has been forced to cancel a planned memorial day for the four people killed in Tuesday's accident at the amusement park.

Dreamworld

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pays her respects after laying a wreath outside the Dreamworld Theme Park on the Gold Coast, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2016. Source: AAP

Dreamworld theme park had planned to open on Friday for a memorial day, where only smaller rides and the waterpark would open, but Queensland police forced them to cancel that plan as their investigations into the tragedy continue.

In a statement, the Gold Coast theme park said the integrity of the coronial investigation was "of paramount importance".

"Postponing the service will give the Queensland Police Service the time it needs to conduct this investigation," the park said.
Neil Balnaves, the outgoing chair of Ardent Leisure, the owner of Dreamworld, had earlier on Thursday said that the theme-park would fully reopen on Saturday.

It's unknown at this stage when the park will reopen with Dreamworld saying in a statement they would provide an update on Monday.
The decision to reopen the park so soon after the tragedy was one of several issues to create division at Dreamworld's parent company's AGM in Sydney on Thursday. 

Also on Thursday, the CEO Ardent Leisure CEO Deborah Thomas Media announced she wil to assist people affected by the deaths of four people at Dreamworld, after the AGM voted to award her a a performance rights package worth $843,000.

The mother of one of the people killed on the ride, Kate Goodchild's husband David has described the horror that confronted the youngsters in the aftermath of the accident.

"My son managed to reach his partner of 33 years who died in his arms while his 12-year-old daughter looked on screaming in the background," Gillian Turner told media in Canberra.

"I would like to believe that my 12-year-old granddaughter was saved so she could tell her little sister what a wonderful mum Kate was."

Theme park goers undeterred

On Wednesday visitors were still flocking to other theme parks on the Gold Coast, with many saying they were trying to support the local tourism industry.

"At the end of the day the accident is a tragedy. Accidents happen anywhere but you can't live your life in fear of stuff," one visitor said.

A group of visitors from Melbourne said some of them were reluctant to go on the rides, while others hoped they would still have a good time.

"It was horrible and it kind of puts you off going on the rides, but I suppose you have got to just keep getting on with life," one Melbourne woman told SBS News.
One Sunshine Coast mother brought her daughter to Warner Bros. Movie World for her birthday.

"I would probably be a bit skeptical about visiting Dreamworld again, like in the near future ... we had plans for my daughter's birthday tomorrow, we had planned to come here last week and I wasn't going to change that," she said.

Theme parks contribute a massive part to the tourism industry on the Gold Coast.

Dreamworld, the country's largest adventure park, welcomed 1.8 million people through its gates each year.

Outside Dreamworld, a flower memorial continues to grow. Hundreds of people have left messages and soft toys for the families of the four victims.
-With AAP



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Published 27 October 2016 1:37pm
Updated 27 October 2016 9:38pm
By Kirsty Johansen


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