Thank you for following the live blog. That concludes our live coverage. For a wrap of today's developments, go here.
Tributes flow for victims of fatal accident at Dreamworld
A local woman left a small tribute outside Dreamworld's front gates on Tuesday evening. She left four candles, a small bunch of Gardenia flowers and a note saying: "Always in our hearts. RIP always."
Dreamworld releases statement on Tuesday night
Ride incident at Dreamworld
Dreamworld confirms that at approximately 2:20pm AEST today, an incident occurred on The Thunder River Rapids ride, resulting in the tragic deaths of four adults.
The entire Dreamworld team is devastated and shocked by this incident.
Our immediate concern now is to support the families of the victims and to provide appropriate counseling to our visitors and staff.
We are working closely with the authorities to understand exactly what
occurred.
We acknowledge the enormous media interest in this incident and appreciate your understanding and patience while the coronial investigation is underway.
Dreamworld is closed until further notice.
Major amusement park accidents in Australia since the late 1960's
October 25, 2016: Four adults died on the Thunder River Rapids ride after becoming trapped on a conveyor belt when their raft flipped at Dreamworld, Queensland
September 12, 2014: Eight-year-old Adelene Leong died after being thrown from a high-speed ride at the Royal Adelaide Show
May 18, 2013: A five-year-old boy is seriously injured after being flung from the Frizbee ride at a school fete in Highfields, Queensland
March 11, 2001: An eight-year-old girl died and 11 people were injured when an inflatable carriage broke free from a ride at a carnival in Kapunda, South Australia
September 2, 2000: Thirty-seven people were hurt when the Spin Dragon ride collapsed and dropped a 4.3 tonne gondola onto queuing riders at the Royal Adelaide Show
February 22, 1997: An 11-year-old girl died and two boys were injured when a carriage on the Octopus ride broke free and fell to the ground at the Rylstone Show near Mudgee, NSW
June 9, 1979: Six children and one adult died when Sydney's Luna Park Ghost Train caught fire. This occurred two months after 13 people were injured on the Big Dipper when a steel runner came loose on a rollercoaster train on April 16
October 24, 1968: High-wire stuntsman Adrian Labans, 44, fell to his death during a high wire act at the Royal Hobart Show.
AAP
Accident caught on CCTV
Police have confirmed vision of the accident was caught on Dreamworld's CCTV cameras.
Investigators remain at the park and will stay there well into the night as the four bodies are recovered.
The retrieval of the victims is expected to be "complex" and involve heavy equipment.
Back to topBefore today's deaths, there had been several other incidents with rides at Dreamworld.
Curiously, two of the latest were in the "Goldrush Country" area of the park, the same area as today's accident.
The incidents include a man almost drowning six months ago on the Rocky Hollow Log Ride, and the temporary shutdown of the Buzz Saw rollercoaster in 2015 after there was a problem with its safety harnesses.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has added his voice to the condolences emerging after the fatal accident.
Mr Shorten said the news was "heartbreaking" and a "devastating tragedy".
Heartbreaking news from Dreamworld. Sending our love to the families of those who lost their lives in this devastating tragedy.
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) October 25, 2016
Earlier, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the incident was a "very, very sad, tragic event".
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives," Mr Turnbull said.
A 'dark day'
As the investigations move into full swing, here is what we know so far
Four people are dead after an incident on Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on Queensland's Gold Coast.
Paramedics say two people were thrown from the ride and two people were trapped inside when the ride malfunctioned.
The victims are two women aged 32 and 42 along with two men, aged 35 and 38.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk describes it as a "dark day" in the state's history..
The theme park has been closed "until further notice"
Ardent Leisure, the operator of the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, had its share price fall by as much as 8 per cent
Police and workplace safety officers are investigating.
Four killed in Dreamworld tragedy
Four people are killed at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast after a ride called the Thunder River Rapids when something went catastrophically wrong. Emergency teams are still at the scene.
Dreamworld's car park is empty of holidaymakers now.
It is virtually dark and the main lights come from television news crews still doing live crosses.
Inside Dreamworld, police and accident investigation teams can be seen making their way inside the first section of the theme park.
But other than that, night has now fallen on a day when two men and two women have died in an accident at one of Australia's main theme parks.
Ardent Leisure, the operator of the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, had its share price fall by as much as 8 per cent following news of a tragedy at the venue.
ASX-listed Ardent owns Dreamworld and the neighbouring WhiteWater World on the Gold Coast.
Back to topTheme park closed until 'further notice'
Dreamworld has announced the park will be closed until further notice after a tragic ride incident killed four people.
Dreamworld is currently closed until further notice due to an incident at the park.
— Dreamworld (@Dreamworld_AU) October 25, 2016
Two women were lining up to go on the ride when they heard screams.
"We saw a bunch of people running out hysteric, we saw a little girl screaming for her mum, it was scary," one of the women told Seven News.
"We believe she was on the ride, I don't believe she was in the same raft, but we do understand from what she said it was her family involved and she was screaming for her mother," another woman said.
"We tried to comfort her from the side to distract her."
A male witness told Nine News "there were kids on board screaming while their mum was like trapped under".
Two male Dreamworld staff has been driven away by two police detectives as the investigation into the cause of the fatal accident begins.
The Queensland coroner will also investigate the deaths.
Dreamworld updated their website this afternoon stating the Thunder River Rapids ride would be closed for "annual maintenance" from Tuesday October 25 to Monday October 31.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has started its investigations into the ride incident that resulted in four deaths.
An investigations team is on site, along with the body's chief engineer.
"This is an absolute tragedy and our hearts go out to the friends and relatives of those who died today," Office of Industrial Relations Executive Director Julie Nielsen said in a statement.
The agency will work with the Queensland Police Service, which is the lead agency investigating the incident.
The tragic events at Dreamworld today could cause anxiety for children.
Kids Helpline is Australia's only national 24/7 counselling and support service, specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years. www.kidshelp.com.au or free call 1800 55 1800.
If you or anyone you know needs support, contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or visit its website on lifeline.org.au
Dreamworld visitors Kaylah Walker, 25, and her mother Lisa, said the Thunder River Rapids ride - where four adults died - was not working earlier today.
"Earlier in the day it had broken down," Lisa said.
"It had broken down and we went back a couple of times to this particular ride.
"We were standing on the bridge watching and the water had stopped.
"There was no rapids."
The incident happened about 10 minutes after they walked away from the ride.
She described the Thunder River Rapids as "one of the most tame rides in the park".
"Unless you are a wee tiny tot," Lisa said.
Six people sit in a large tube and are guided down a man-made stream of water.
"It's like a huge sized tube really, but it's quite a heavy tube. And it just goes through the rapid," she said.
"It's like a gigantic tyre with seats in it."
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate says Gold Coasters will offer support to the loved ones of those involved in the incident today.
"If there is other things we can bind together and do, and help the families, we will do that," he told Nine News.
"Any help they need, whether or not they need some help to get family or loved ones back to their hometown, things like that.
"We want to reach out and let them know that Gold Coasters will be doing our best to make sure they are comforted.
"To put yourself in those shoes is horrific.
"Our prayers should also reach out to the paramedics, staff at Dreamworld and police."
What we know so far
Four people have died on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld.
Paramedics say two people were thrown from the ride and two people were trapped inside.
Police and workplace safety are investigating
The Gold Coast theme park has been closed to the public
There was a problem with the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld several hours before one part of the ride flipped over, a witness said.
On Tuesday morning, visitors were left waiting as engineers were called in to inspect the ride.
"We were waiting there for about half an hour and the engineers had to come," a witness told Nine News.
"They drained all the water out and then had to refill it back up. Then we were allowed to go. We were stuck there for about 30, 40 minutes at least."
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