26 Oct 2016

New Zealander one of four Dreamworld victims

9:56 am on 26 October 2016

One of the four people killed at Dreamworld on Australia's Gold Coast was a New Zealander, officials have confirmed.

Kate Goodchild, 32, is understood to be one of the four victims killed in an accident at Dreamworld on Australia's Gold Coast.

Kate Goodchild, 32, is understood to be one of the four victims killed in an accident at Dreamworld on Australia's Gold Coast. Photo: Facebook

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Queensland Police had advised the ministry of the victim's nationality.

The 42-year-old woman was believed to be a long-term resident of Australia, the ministry said.

It would not release the woman's name, saying that was the responsibility of Queensland Police.

Earlier, the ministry had said it was not aware that any New Zealanders had been involved.

Two of the four adult victims of yesterday's Gold Coast tragedy were tipped off the Thunder River Rapids Ride when one of the rafts apparently careered into another, and the other two were trapped inside.

Early investigations suggest water pushed one raft into another and one of the rafts tipped over, throwing the riders out.

Australian media has reported that the three other victims were Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, 35, and Mr Dorsett's partner Roozbeh Araghi, 38.

Mrs Goodchild and Mr Dorsett's mother, Kim Dorsett, told News Corp Australia her "whole family has been wiped out".

"We are just devastated, absolutely devastated," she said.

"I have three children and have lost two of them today.

"I have two granddaughters - an eight-month-old and a 12-year-old - and it truly breaks my heart to know that my eight-month-old is never going to get to know her mum."

A police officer stands in front of the Dreamworld theme park on Gold Coast after the deaths of four people on a rapids ride.

A police officer stands in front of the Dreamworld theme park on Gold Coast after the deaths of four people on a rapids ride. Photo: AFP

Her older granddaughter - who witnesses said saw the accident unfold - was still coming to terms with what had happened, Ms Dorsett said.

"She is completely devastated - she is blaming herself for what has happened.

"She has had a truly terrible day, she is going through unimaginable pain at the moment."

The Courier-Mail reported the young girl was inconsolable.

"She just kept screaming, 'Where's Mummy? Where's Mummy?'" witness Claire Wooley told the newspaper.

Ms Wooley's friend Lia Capes said she was just about to go on the ride when she saw people running out, crying.

"We saw the little girl and we believe it was her mum, because it was just her and her little sister that was an infant," Ms Capes said.

"She said to us it was her family. She said 'Where's my mum' ... and she was calling [a nearby man] 'Dad.'

"He was screaming for his phone ... [and] he just took off down to the ride."