Already a subscriber?My drive to meet the American-born leader of a world-famous Australian entertainment family goes past a tired-looking motel, small industrial buildings and forests of dark-green trees. Among this Sunshine Coast hinterland scenery are signs of Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, even if he is no longer here.
Irwin, who turns 60 later this month, walks smoothly into the private room at the pristine Warrior Restaurant & Bar, easily breaking the ice with State of Origin rugby league chat, and we flick through the dark-grey hardcover menu. By her 20s, Irwin had acquired the family business, her role spanning everything from bookkeeping to 2am callouts. She also created Cougar Country , that rescued predatory animals.
“The animal comes first, our team comes second, and then our guests,” she responds. She cites the living conditions of four Sumatran elephants at Australia Zoo as an example. These animals, from a highly endangered species, roam in acreage out of sight of visitors and have a big swimming area. They would have a “worse life” if sent back to Sumatra, she says.
“I’ve lost my soulmate and my best friend and my kid’s dad, and I don’t know if I’ll ever sleep again,” Irwin recalls thinking then. “I really advise people to plan your legacy,” Irwin says. “You can’t be arrogant enough to think that ‘I’ll deal with that in 10 or 20 or 50 years.’ ”reality show was broadcast on US cable TV from 2018, and family members appeared in other television and movies earlier.
Bindy, right, and Robert are now social media stars themselves, with more than 10 million Instagram followers between them.