Witness recounts panic as Dreamworld ride collapse kills four, sparks safety reforms

The 2016 Dreamworld disaster unfolded when a pump failure on the Thunder River Rapids ride lowered water levels, causing a stranded raft to be hit by another and overturn, killing four passengers. Danny Haber, waiting with his family, heard a sudden sound and screams, then rescued two children, Kieran Low and Ebony Goodchild, from the twisted metal. Park staff, including guest services supervisor Michael Clancy, were untrained for such emergencies, and witnesses described sheer panic.

A 2020 coronial inquest exposed shoddy record-keeping, inadequate oversight and poor ride design, prompting Queensland to enact industrial manslaughter offences and mandatory ten-year engineering inspections for theme parks. Critics argue these reforms remain confined to Queensland, warning other Australian jurisdictions could face similar risks. Dreamworld’s parent, now Coast Entertainment, has paid millions in compensation and was fined $3.6 million, while the park reports record attendance a decade later.