Dreamworld boss' emotional confession: "We thought we were doing the right thing."

The chief executive of Dreamworld‘s parent company, Ardent Leisure, has admitted they might not have handled the Gold Coast tragedy as well as they could have.

Deborah Thomas laid flowers at a private ceremony alongside her employees at the theme park to commemorate the four adults who were killed when a ride malfunctioned on Tuesday afternoon.

Thomas fought back tears as she told awaiting media on Friday the company believed they responding appropriately, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

"I would like to say if I haven't handed it as well as I could, we thought we were doing the right thing in terms of the way we approached it through police," she said.

The former Women's Weekly editor said she hoped this morning's memorial service, that saw about 100 staff attend, would be the start of the healing process.

“It is very emotional, but what’s important is that all our people are here, we had the most wonderful ceremony and we are all here today to be part of the family, to hug each other, to provide support to each other,” she said.

Thomas also commented on how the company had handled contacting the family of the victims.

"We have reached out to many of the people involved in this tragedy and spoken to them," she said.

Thomas came under fire at the company's annual general meeting on Thursday when she said she had spoken to the victims' relatives.

A reporter who had spoken to Kim Dorsett, the mother of Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett who were both killed on Tuesday, questioned Thomas' claim when she messaged to say she hadn't heard from any Ardent staff.

It was reported Dorsett received a phone call that afternoon from Thomas after her number was passed on.

The CEO also pledged to donate her yearly bonus of $167,500 to assist those affected by the incident.

It is not yet clear when the theme park will reopen for public use.