Today was quite a special day for us both. Besides Mum’s Birthday back in the UK, today was our first visit to Australia Zoo, home of the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, his wife Terry and their two children, Bindi and Robert. Both children have the same infectious enthusiasm for all forms of wildlife as Steve had and both just as keen to share their world and experiences with everyone. Bindi has built a strong TV following in the USA and Robert has developed a very keen eye for photography.

There’s a great sense of anticipation when you finally arrive somewhere you have always wanted to visit and today was no different. It wasn’t hard to miss either with a huge billboard of Steve holding a crocodile in his ‘Crikey’ pose right beside the entrance. From the road you would have no idea just how extensive the 1,000 acre zoo is. And, unlike many zoos and wildlife parks, Australia Zoo is maintained in pristine condition, still looks modern despite 2020 marking its 50th anniversary and is beautifully landscaped.

We had arrived just as the crocodile display was about to began and quickly made our way to the Crocoseum, a huge, open air auditorium with a large, shallow pool where the ‘performing’ crocodiles come to feed. I say performing, a large carnivorous animal that can trace its origins back to the dinosaur period, does what it likes, when it likes. But the opportunity of a good feed is too tempting an offer for Alan the saltwater crocodile who takes his time to make an entry despite the encouragement of the handlers. Steve wanted to show crocodiles in a more visual way than through the usual murky waterholes and built the clear water pool in the Crocoseum to that end.

As we left the show we were greeted with a wombat being towed in a trolley. Apparently it’s easier to move these muscular animals around on wheels than lead them on foot – they are not the most cooperative of creatures. We walked through wallaby and kangaroo enclosures, the kangaroos very at home with humans, especially those with roo food! There’s a Rainforest Aviary and Birds of Prey enclosure, Aldabran tortoises (the worlds largest), a South Asian section with Red Pandas and Tigers surrounded by giant bamboo plants and huge boulders, Bindi’s Island with Parrots and thirteen recently settled Ring-tailed Lemurs soaking up the sun.

The South Asian section leads into a very well designed African Safari with Giraffes, Zebra, White Rhinos and the cute Meerkats with one always on lookout. It is all very well presented, everything looks natural including the large rocks and boulders around the zoo, which are largely man made but very realistic.

And so far we’ve only covered a third of the zoo. There are more crocodiles, alligators, koalas, emus, cassowary, wetland birds, Tasmanian Devils, lizards, dragons, echidnas, otters, dingoes and SNAKES… lots of them and all the stars of the most venomous variety… Crikey, as Steve would say.

It’s a great day out for all the family; there’s lots to do, lots to see, it’s educational, it’s supporting a very important conservation programme… and they do a great coffee!

God Bless You Steve, you have left behind an amazing legacy.