Fundraiser for families impacted by Hillcrest Primary jumping castle tragedy captures nation

The fundraiser was started just four hours after a "wind event" carried the jumping castle about 10 metres in the air, causing the death of four children and leaving a further five children with injuries.

By 8.40pm the campaign for the incident, which captured the nation and saw tributes flow from the Prime Minister and schools and organisations across Australia, had raised more than $100,000 and brought in about 1800 individual donations. This morning at 1pm it had $647,000 in donations.

Creator Zoe Smith said in the fundraiser's description, "this is something close to my heart and it was something simple I could do".

She said all funds would go to the families of the children killed and injured in the tragedy, and hoped some of the money would offer them "much needed gifts in this time of such sadness".

"All funds will be donated to the school's Parents and Friends Committee to be distributed to the families affected," she said.

Ms Smith's sentiments were echoed by several members of the Devonport community who offered an outpouring of emotion as they expressed their thoughts for the bereaved families and those impacted by the incident.

The original goal for the GoFundMe campaign was surpassed within an hour.

By 8pm the fundraiser had passed $80,000 and had received more than 1400 individual donations.

Between 5.45pm and 6.45pm it jumped from $26,000 to more than $50,000. And in the following hour it increased about $30,000.

The goal for the GoFundMe campaign was set at $20,000, a total that was surpassed within an hour.

Between 5.45pm and 6.45pm it jumped from $26,000 to more than $50,000 and had received in excess of 800 donations.

Shortly after 6.45pm the fundraiser was receiving about $1000 every 10 minutes.

An anonymous donation of $5000 came about 6.15pm and another $2000 was sent in by Wayne Bould at 5pm.

The fundraiser can be found on the GoFundMe website by searching Hillcrest Primary School.