About
Stephen Robert Irwin, known as Steve Irwin, was born on 22 February 1962 in Essendon, Victoria. In 1970, his family moved to Beerwah, Queensland, where his parents opened the Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park, later Australia Zoo. In 1991, he met Terri Raines, whom he married in 1992. Their honeymoon crocodile-trapping expedition became the first episode of the TV series The Crocodile Hunter, broadcast in over 140 countries. Irwin dedicated his life to wildlife conservation, founding the Wildlife Warriors Worldwide charity and establishing a 135,000-hectare private reserve at Cape York. He died on 4 September 2006, pierced by a stingray barb while snorkelling during filming.
* 1962-02-22 — † 2006-09-04
Major works
- The Crocodile Hunter (1992)TV series
- The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002)film
- Ocean's Deadliest (2006)documentary
- Happy Feet (2006)animated film
Key milestones
- 1998Renamed the family park Australia Zoo and expanded it into a world-renowned conservation facility.
- 2001Awarded the Centenary Medal for services to global conservation and Australian tourism.
- 2006Died on 4 September, pierced by a stingray barb while snorkelling at Batt Reef, Queensland.
Themes
Wildlife conservationEnvironmental educationCrocodilesAdventureFamily legacy
Sources: britannica.com · australianoftheyear.org.au · statements.qld.gov.au