rivertown

dreamworld - australia

This project stands as one of the most significant of my career. Rivertown is a deeply immersive themed land centered around a remote jungle outpost, featuring the Vekoma "Jungle Rush"—an indoor/outdoor coaster set within a crumbling temple. The attraction utilizes a complex three-way track switch to redirect trains, integrated into a precinct that includes a signature restaurant, the Murrisippi Motors vintage car ride, and a centerpiece crashed plane.

I played a pivotal role in the end-to-end delivery of the precinct, with my responsibilities covering:

Site Planning: Strategic layout of the zone, including the sensitive incorporation of an existing dock and the preservation of a landmark fig tree.

Interior & Scenic Design: Completed interior design for the load stations of both major attractions. I designed and detailed several key scenes, including the bamboo scaffolding, the archaeological dig scene, and the outdoor camp.

Fabrication Supervision: Managed the production team for all internal props, including statues, water features, themed lightboxes, and artificial rockwork. I personally handled the engineering approvals for these elements.

Kinetic Props & SFX: Concept and technical design for large-scale moving wheels and props within the main ride chamber. I ensured these elements were lowerable for maintenance and operated safely around the ride’s Envelope of Protection.

On-Site Art Direction: Conducted prop procurement and on-site art direction, providing rapid, cost-effective design solutions for unforeseen site conditions during construction.

Theming & Lore: Developed "Easter eggs" and granular details rooted in the local lore and the historical DNA of the park. I also art-directed all precinct signage, balancing operational clarity with themed aesthetics.

Technical Problem Solving: Redesigned the track layout for the vintage car ride after the original design was found to be incompatible with the site.

Delivery & Coordination: Managed visualisations, BIM/CAD documentation, and cross-discipline service coordination.