A Victorian government minister who has agreed to apologise to the victims of a now-dead paedophile hopes the sex offender is "burning in hell".
Robert Whitehead used his position at the state's iconic Puffing Billy steam train tourist attraction to abuse children for decades.
Ombudsman Deborah Glass has highlighted "monumental" failures by those in charge of Puffing Billy and groups including Victorian Railways, dating back to the 1960s, saying they valued reputational protection over the welfare of child victims.
Her investigation found Victorian Railways re-employed Whitehead after he was convicted of child sex offences in 1959 but chose not to monitor him, meaning he had unrestricted access to young volunteers for decades.
In an emotional press conference on Monday, Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren said Puffing Billy management ignored repeated "cries for help" by children and their families about the abuse.
"There's some vindication for the victims and obviously one of the perpetrators (Whitehead), through his time in prison, has deceased and is hopefully burning in hell," Mr Eren told reporters.
A second man, Anthony Hutchins, a convicted pedophile, was also previously involved with Puffing Billy.
Mr Eren accepted Ms Glass's recommendation he issue a public apology to children abused while involved with Puffing Billy, and said it would take place following private apologies.
"Over decades, Puffing Billy railway protected paedophiles and chose to ignore allegations of sexual assault against children," he said.
Whitehead was first convicted and jailed in 1959 for child sex abuse and when released, was re-employed as a rail worker and volunteered with Puffing Billy, going on to assault six children between the 1960s and 1980s.
He died in jail in 2015 after pleading guilty to 24 charges.
Throughout his 30-year involvement with Puffing Billy, Ms Glass said Whitehead had unrestricted access to children, including the supervising of overnight working parties.
"Whitehead was a life-long offender whose abuse was facilitated by the willful blindness, indifference or ineptitude of a succession of organisations from Victorians Railways to Puffing Billy," Ms Glass said.
"The actions or inaction of people in positions of authority, who should have known better, is inexcusable.
"We do not know, and will never know, how many children Whitehead abused."
The investigation was sparked after victim, Wayne Clarke, in 2016 wrote to the government asking for an investigation into Whitehead and Hutchins, and their involvement with Puffing Billy.
The government has accepted all the report's recommendations in full.
Mr Eren said the entire Emerald Tourism Railway Board and Puffing Billy chief executive had resigned, with an interim group installed.
Speaking alongside Mr Eren, the acting interim chair of Puffing Billy, Jennifer Fleming, said the organisation would also issue a formal apology to victims.
