Dreamworld operator Ardent Leisure fined $3.6 million over Thunder River Rapids ride deaths

Dreamworld operator Ardent Leisure has been fined $3.6 million over the Thunder River Rapids ride tragedy.

The operators of Dreamworld pleaded guilty to three charges relating to the deaths of four people in 2016 at the Gold Coast theme park.

Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi died when their raft on the Thunder River Rapids Ride collided with an empty raft and flipped on October 25, 2016.

READ MORE: Sentencing 'won't change nightmare' for victim families

Ardent Leisure was facing a maximum penalty of $4.5 million.

In today's sentencing hearing prosecutor Aaron Guilfoyle detailed a litany of failures by Dreamworld's operators to adequately ensure the Thunder River Rapids ride was operated safely.

Previous safety audits showed a water level safety sensor could have been installed for less than $3000, the court heard.

'I couldn't find mummy'

Kim Dorsett, mother of Ms Goodchild and Mr Dorsett, read her victim impact statement to the court.

"I cry for my children, my lost children every day," she said.

Ms Dorsett also detailed how she rushed to the police station to be with her 12-year-old granddaughter Ebony Turner.

"Ebony had survived the accident and was hysterical trying to tell of the events that had taken place that afternoon," Ms Dorsett told the court.

"'I couldn't find mummy.'

"These words have become a recurring nightmare, words that will be with me until I too take my last breath."

Ms Dorsett remembered the last words she said to her children Kate and Luke on the day they died: "Take care, and I'll see you soon."

"To me, that means I'll never see them again," she told the court.

Mr Guilfoyle recommended Magistrate Pamela Dowse heavily penalise Ardent Leisure, and that a conviction be recorded.

"The failures of the defendant were not momentary," Mr Guilfoyle said.

"The failures did not occur solely on the day of the incident, they were failures well before then, which led ultimately to what transpired.

"This is a rare case in which a penalty close to the available maximum is appropriate."

Ardent apologises 'unreservedly'

In a statement, Ardent chairman Dr Gary Weiss and the group's theme parks division CEO John Osbourne said they apologised "unreservedly for the past circumstances and failures at Dreamworld".

"Ardent accepts responsibility for this tragedy without qualification or reservation," the statement read.

"The Ardent Board and the new Dreamworld leadership team would like to express their deepest sympathies to the families of Roozbeh Araghi, Luke Dorsett, Kate Goodchild and Cindy Low for the enormous loss.

"Today we accept the Court's decision to impose a fine of $3.6 million which is the largest fine in Queensland history for a workplace tragedy. "