Guests trickle back as Dreamworld reopens

Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld has opened it gates to the public for the first time since four people were killed on its Thunder River Rapids ride six weeks ago.

However, visitor numbers are reportedly well down on the theme park's usual summer Saturday attendance figures with a spokeswoman advising that by 11:30am today, 1,200 people had entered Dreamworld, with another 700 people at the adjacent WhiteWater World waterpark.

Dreamworld is using the reopening as a charity weekend to raise money for the families of the four people who died on the Thunder River Rapids ride on 25th October.

$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 pre-paid ticket and pass-holders.

Shortly after the gates reopened at 10am this morning, Dreamworld Chief Executive Craig Davidson told a media conference that staff at the theme park were delighted to get back to work.

He said safety remained the attraction’s top priority as several independent safety audits continued on several rides at the theme park.

Davidson explained “every single attraction open today has been passed by an unprecedented multi-level safety review encompassing Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, their audit of the park, Dreamworld's internal engineering review, Pitt & Sherry's independent review and the external peer review by UK-based theme park safety specialists LTC.

"This methodical multi-level safety review of all park attractions is ongoing and will not be rushed.

"All of those rides that we will be operating have all been signed off through that three-tiered process."

Dreamworld reopened with its wildlife exhibits, slides and pools at Dreamworld's adjoining facility WhiteWater World, its motorsport precinct and children's areas operational.

However, its major thrill rides remain closed.

They are expected to reopen in the coming weeks subject to the completion of safety audits.

A crackdown on ride safety at Queensland’s theme parks undertaken by Workplace Health and Safety officers has seen safety audits completed at Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet'N'Wild Gold Coast, Sea World and WhiteWater World on the Gold Coast and at Australia Zoo and Aussie World on the Sunshine Coast.

Meanwhile Dreamworld owner Main Event Entertainment (the former Ardent Leisure) is believed to be close the sale of its d'Albora Marinas division after a long process.

Image: Dreamworld's staff team ready for this morning's reopening. Courtesy Dreamworld/Facebook.

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