How Dreamworld has changed since the Thunder River Rapids tragedy
<p>One year ago yesterday, four Aussies spent a sunny, fun-filled October day at what was once Australia’s most popular theme park. By 2 pm that afternoon, those four innocent people – Kate Goodchild and her brother Luke Dorsett, his partner Roozi Araghi and Sydney mum Cindy Low – had <a href="/news/news/2016/10/one-dead-in-accident-at-dreamworld/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">lost their lives in a tragic incident</span></strong></a> on the Thunder River Rapids ride.</p>
<p>The horrific disaster became Australia’s worst theme park accident in 40 years, leaving not only the victims’ loved ones utterly heartbroken, but changing the face of the Gold Coast’s theme park industry forever.</p>
<p>Once bustling with visitors, it’s hard to miss the sense of emptiness felt around the park – especially given the ill-fated ride remains largely untouched within full view of some of Dreamworld’s other most popular attractions (despite an attempt to obscure it with a fence).</p>
<p>Yesterday, to mark one year on from the tragedy, Dreamworld held a private memorial for its 1000-plus staff before the park opened, and lowered the Australian flag to half-mast – a decision by its parent company, Ardent Leisure, as a way to “respectfully and thoughtfully acknowledge the one-year anniversary of last year’s tragedy”.</p>
<p>As visitors trickled in, some only realised what day it was when they spotted news crews at Dreamworld’s entrance.</p>
<p>“We had no idea until we arrived this morning,” a Melbourne woman told <a href="http://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/how-dreamworld-is-coping-a-year-after-the-thunder-river-rapids-incident/news-story/c013dba708c5799a1010548d40bfd51b" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">news.com.au</span></strong></a>. “It was the last day of our holiday which is why we’re here but if we had of known we probably wouldn’t’ve come. We feel a little bit disrespectful."</p>
<p>Cindy’s husband Matthew Low, whose 12-year-old son Kieran survived after being thrown from the raft only to watch his mother horrifically die, told the <em>Courier Mail</em> they were still mourning the tragic loss.</p>
<p>“Our grief has come in waves but the firsts are especially hard – birthdays, Kieran and [daughter] Isla’s milestones achieved that she does not get to experience."</p>
<p>Ardent Leisure, who plan on demolishing the attraction in the future, lost $66.7 million last year. Acting Lord Mayor of the Gold Coast, Donna Gates, believes the region will “never fully recover” from the tragedy.</p>
<p>“They’re places of fun generally and that’s been very difficult to come back from that terrible tragedy, but I understand that all the testing that’s been done, we know now how safe our parks are,” she said.</p>
<p>“It was a one-off tragedy that we’ll never be able to fully recover from but the parks are doing well. People are enjoying themselves again and whilst our sympathy goes to the families and always will, we do need to step back and let people know we’re open for business."</p>
