The Gold Rush Country opened on 11 December 1986. The area featured the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride and the Thunder River Rapids Ride. In 2006, the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride was decommissioned due to safety concerns. In the middle of 2011, Gold Rush Country was refurbished with shops being relocated around the area in preparation for its conversion into the Town of Gold Rush. On 17 September 2011, Gold Rush Country officially reopened as the Town of Gold Rush to match BuzzSaw's backstory.
Attractions
Current Attractions
BuzzSaw
BuzzSaw is a Maurer SöhneSkyLooproller coaster in the Town of Gold Rush. The roller coaster begins with a vertical chain lift hill to a height of. Riders, restrained by only a lap bar, are then pulled slowly back over on themselves before the train is released into a full heartline roll. A steep drop returns riders back to the station.
Giant Drop
The Giant Drop opened in 1998 as the world's tallest and fastest free fall ride. It is one of Dreamworld's Big 7 Thrill Rides and is situated on the Dreamworld Tower. The ride was manufactured by Intamin, the company responsible for the Tower of Terror which shares the same tower.
Previous attractions
Eureka Mountain Mine Ride
The Eureka Mountain Mine Ride was a wild mouse roller coaster designed by HyFab. The ride has not operated since 2006 due to safety concerns.
Helicopter Joy Flights
Helicopter Joy Flights allowed park visitors to take helicopter flights taking in views of Dreamworld and the Gold Coast. Visitors could choose from five different flight paths. Joy flights incurred an additional expense. The helicopter tours have not resumed since June 2009 when a helicopter crashed in the carpark of Dreamworld causing only minor injuries. The launch pad now forms part of BuzzSaw's area and the sales booth is now a beverage outlet named Jack's Watering Hole.
The Rocky Hollow Log Ride was a log flume which took groups of 4 riders on a gentle four and a half-minute cruise through channels, in and out of buildings, before ascending the lift hill. The ride concluded with a drop causing all riders to become soaked. The ride was designed and built in-house by Dreamworld with assistance from overseas engineers. The Rocky Hollow Log Ride was closed in February 2020, after a long period of maintenance.
The Thunder River Rapids was a river rapid water ride which featured floating rafts holding up to six people floating down a foamy, turbulent river reaching speeds of up to. Riders could end up quite wet due to waves splashing over the side of the raft. The ride opened in October 1986 in conjunction with the opening of Gold Rush Country. The ride originally featured a rotating platform which allowed riders to board and dismount the 6 person boats without the need for stopping them. This functionality was decommissioned due to safety concerns. The ride continued to be the park's most popular ride until its closure in 2016 after the deaths of four riders.
Closure
On 25 October 2016 four patrons were killed when the ride malfunctioned. On 9 November Deborah Thomas the chief executive of Ardent Leisure, Dreamworlds' parent company, announced that the ride would be permanently closed and demolished. In October 2017, a police report to the Queensland Coroner recommended that no criminal charges be laid. However in February 2020 the Queensland Coroner, released a report detailing "irresponsible", "dangerous" and "inadequate" safety practices at Dreamworld that contributed to the four deaths, and recommended the Queensland office of industrial relations consider a prosecution. In July 2020 Ardent Leisure announced three charges had been laid against them over the ride deaths under the Work Health and Safety Act.
Shopping & Dining
Snack food and drinks can be purchased from Jack's Watering Hole while various forms of Gold Rush themed merchandise can be purchased from the BuzzSaw Mill General Store, Old Time Photos and Thunder River Rapids Photos. Currently no stores are currently operating.
