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Chinese company plans $600 million Gold Coast theme park

<p>Last October's Dreamworld tragedy hasn't put off a Chinese entertainment company from plans to build a multimillion dollar theme park on the Gold Coast.</p> <p>Songcheng Performance Development announced on Thursday it was seeking approval to develop a AU$600 million initial stage of the park, which will be called Australian Legendary World.</p> <p>The company has paid $55 million for a 45-hectare block of land in Nerang where it aims to develop the site.</p> <p>It will be the first time Songcheng - which operates 30 theme parks across China - has invested outside its native country.</p> <p>Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who initiated talks with Songcheng during a trade mission to China, said the tragedy at Dreamworld hadn't had an impact on the Chinese company's enthusiasm.</p> <p>"People still want man-made fun," Mr Tate said.</p> <p>"Their (Songcheng) vision is very long-term. They're a culture theme park so the tragedy in Dreamworld ... I think they'll bounce back and it'll be business as usual."</p> <p>Songcheng chairman Huang Qiaoling, who is valued at $1.65 billion, said the proposed new attraction would not be competing with the region's existing theme parks.</p> <p>"We are here to focus on culture," Mr Huang said via an interpreter.</p> <p>"We are complimentary to each other."</p> <p>The proposed attraction will feature a scale model of Uluru which will double as the park's entrance-way and house a "snow and ice world" attraction inside.</p> <p>Areas around the park will focus on Aboriginal culture, the arrival of Captain Cook, Australia's gold rush era and the Chinese migrants who worked in the country at that time.</p> <p>Mr Tate said council expects to receive a development application within the year, with construction to commence if council approves the plan.</p> <p>Do you think the Gold Coast needs another theme park?</p> <p><em>First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/11/warren-cox-fishing-nerang-river-on-gold-coast/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The best place to fish on the Gold Coast</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/12/destination-in-focus-gold-coast/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Destination in focus: The Gold Coast</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/10/5-things-to-do-on-the-gold-coast/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>5 things to do on the Gold Coast</strong></em></span></a></p>

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Dreamworld set to open Friday as it’s said ride passed safety check

<p>Dreamworld has released a statement saying that the Thunder River Rapids ride – on which four people were killed on Tuesday – passed a routine safety inspection less than a month ago. </p> <p>Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, 35, Mr Dorsett's partner, Roozi Araghi, 38, and Cindy Low, 42, were killed when the conveyor belt of the ride malfunctioned. Two children were also riding with group, but were miraculously thrown to safety.</p> <p>The statement reads “The safety audit was conducted by a specialist external engineering firm… Details of this external audit will be provided to the coroner and workplace safety investigators”.</p> <p>Although the theme park maintains that proper maintenance measures were met, engineer with Standard Australia's Amusement Ride Committee said maintenance issues were more likely to be responsible for the accident, rather than an inherent design fault.</p> <p>"The ride costs millions of dollars, but if you maintain them you should get at least 30 years' life out."</p> <p>Dreamworld has announced that the park will re-open its doors for a shorter day of trade on Friday from 11am. Activities will be limited to smaller rides, animal attractions and the water park, with all entry proceeds from the day will going to the Australian Red Cross.</p> <p>On Friday a private memorial service will also be held for Dreamworld staff, friends and emergency services involved in the aftermath of the incident paying respect to the four lives lost.</p> <p>Do you think that the park should be re-opening so soon, or that they should wait a little longer? Let us know in the comments below. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/10/cctv-footage-key-to-dreamworld-death-investigations/">CCTV footage key to Dreamworld death investigations</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/10/one-dead-in-accident-at-dreamworld/">Reports of a fatality in serious accident at Dreamworld</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/10/steve-irwins-dad-opens-up/">Steve Irwin’s dad opens up about his son’s last words</a></strong></em></span></p>

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CCTV footage key to Dreamworld death investigations

<p>Police have confirmed the incident which led to the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/10/one-dead-in-accident-at-dreamworld/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>tragic death of four people</strong></span></a> in Dreamworld yesterday has been captured on CCTV footage and will be reviewed.  </p> <p>Specific details of the incident, occurring on the Thunder River Rapids Ride, remain unclear, but the entire event was reportedly caught on the park's security camera. The footage is set to be extensively reviewed by police and health and safety authorities.  </p> <p>The news comes as Queensland Police assistant commissioner Brian Codd confirmed that two children, aged 10 and 13, were able to extricate themselves from the ride.</p> <p>Codd said, “It’s almost a miracle anyone came out of that. The full analysis of how that (the accident) occurred, how inconsistent that is with the normal operating procedures, will be very much at the forefront of our investigation.”</p> <p>Dreamworld is expected to remain closed as forensic teams and engineers attempt to make sense of the incident, and determine the cause of the malfunction. </p> <p>Codd added, “There will be a broad range of things examined – policies, procedures, maintenance schedules and the actual, I guess, the make-up of the whole ride itself in terms of compliance about contemporary engineering.</p> <p>“To hold accountable any person that needs to be held account.”</p> <p>Our thoughts are with the family of those who passed. </p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/crying-can-be-good-for-you/"><em>Having a big cry can actually be good for you</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/10-steps-to-build-your-confidence/"><em>10 steps to build your confidence</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/mind/2016/09/5-scientific-ways-to-make-your-brain-happy/">5 scientific ways to make your brain happy</a></em></strong></span></p>

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