The fundraiser was started four hours after a gust of wind carried the jumping castle about 10 metres in the air, leading to the death of five children and leaving a further four children in hospital.

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Throughout the remained of Thursday and into Friday the fundraiser steadily increased as people across the world learnt of the horror that had occurred at the small North-West Coast primary school.

Before midnight on Thursday the amount had already climbed to $100,000, and by about 4pm on Friday it had hit $750,000.

It broke the $1 million milestone about 9.15pm on Friday night, hours after the names of the five children killed in the tragedy were released, and about 36 hours after the horror occurred.

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.

An anonymous donation of $45,000 was made on Friday, as were six other donations of $10,000 or more. There had been more than 13,200 donations by Friday night.

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

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