The father of two of those who died in the Dreamworld ride disaster says the family wants answers on how and why the accident happened.
Flowers outside Dreamworld in Queensland, where four people died. Photo: AFP
Plans to reopen the theme park this weekend have been shelved as Queensland Police continue their investigation into how four people died on the Thunder River Rapids Ride on Tuesday.
New Zealand-born Cindy Low, 42, was killed along with Australians Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozbeh Araghi when the ride malfunctioned.
At a news conference in Canberra this afternoon, Shayne Goodchild was joined by his daughter's husband, David Turner, who he said had "lost the love of his life and mother of two children in the most tragic of circumstances".
"Kate's tragic death has not only devastated Dave, her partner of 15 years, it has also left two beautiful daughters, Ebony and Evie, without a mum," Mr Goodchild said.
"Dave was standing next to the ride holding Evie when this tragic event happened, and Ebony was sitting next to her mum when they were thrown into the water."
Mr Goodchild has lost his only daughter, his youngest son and his son's partner, who he said he considered a son.
"Luke and Roozi have been partners for nearly a decade and were truly an inspirational couple to everyone who had the great fortune to have known them," he said.
"To say this is just not fair doesn't begin to express our despair. Their loss will be deeply felt, not just amongst our families, but among their friends and work colleagues."
The family had been visiting Queensland from Canberra for a family wedding.
"Only 24 hours earlier the family were on the beach taking Evie into the waves for the very first time," Mr Goodchild said.
"It is truly devastating that [eight-month-old] Evie will never get to know how amazing a mum [Kate] was."
Mr Goodchild said his family wanted answers as to how and why the accident happened.
"So many of us like Kate, Luke, Roozi and Cindy have visited Dreamworld and sat smiling and laughing with our loved ones on the same ride as they were sitting on last Tuesday," he said.
"Like everyone else in Australia we want to know what went wrong. We want to know why our loved one's were taken from us in such horrific circumstances. No-one wants those answer more than we do."
Mr Goodchild also expressed the family's condolences to the family of Ms Low, who also died in the disaster.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cindy's family, and in particular her son, who was sitting on the ride with his mum," he said.
- ABC