Gary Weiss, chair of Dreamworld owner Ardent Leisure, has announced plans to expand the Australian theme park, with the plans aimed at boosting attendance following a "challenging year".

Dreamworld has been under intense scrutiny since a 2016 accident on its Thunder River Rapids ride resulted in the deaths of four people.

Speaking at the company's annual general meeting, Weiss said that 2018 had been "another challenging year for Ardent", adding however that the company was making "good progress" across many areas of its business. For Dreamworld, he revealed plans are in the works to expand the Gold Coast attraction, with new rides and retail both on the cards.

"The board remains committed to restoring value for shareholders and we're excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for our theme parks business in Australia and Main Event Entertainment in the US," he said.

Outlining the plans, Weiss said that land surrounding the park will be developed. These plans are in addition to the expansion made to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational attraction, Dreamworld Corroboree, and the US$15m (€13.2m, £11.7m) extension to WhiteWater World, which will incorporate pools, waterfalls, beached areas, function and events space, cafés and retail outlets.

A safety inquiry is currently underway into the deaths at Dreamworld, with a "litany of safety concerns" uncovered by investigators following the tragic events of 2016.

"There is no greater priority for Ardent than striving to achieve global best practice safety standards," said Weiss.

"We're continuing to focus on safety improvements and enhancements across all aspects of the park and reconfirm our commitment to implementing all coronial inquest recommendations in consultation with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland and the theme park industry."