In the lush countryside of Queensland, Australia, the famed wildlife sanctuary known as Australia Zoo has become the center of a family feud that spans generations.
The tangled web of relationships and shared legacy surrounding the zoo begins with its founder Bob Irwin, an 83-year-old patriarch whose passion for wildlife led him to found Australia Zoo in 1970. Little did he know that decades later that shrine would be at the center of a legal battle involving his daughter-in-law, Terri Irwin.
Terri, 58, the widow of Steve Irwin, who tragically died in 2006 after an accident with a stingray, continued as owner and operator of the famous zoo. But Bob Irwin is not happy that Terri is still in charge of the popular attraction. Terri’s commercialization of the nature park, which Bob Irwin feels separates it from its original focus on animals, angers him.
Bob Irwin and his daughter-in-law were involved in a heated argument, and a person familiar with the situation told New Idea that “Bob’s genuine passion for the environment and all creatures great and small gave him the courage to get Terri to hand over the keys.”
The insider continued: “The revelation that the grounds would soon be open for rock concerts – one of which was to include Terri’s boyfriend Russell Crowe and his band – was the final straw for Bob.
Bob finds it disrespectful that thousands of partygoers are drawn to this protective haven he has created; next thing he knows, they’ll have school kids!”
After Steve Irwin died in 2006, his father became estranged from Steve’s widow and their children. Terri is no longer on speaking terms with the patriarch, nor is her son Robert – named after Bob Irwin – or her 24-year-old daughter Bindi.
Irwin died in the waters off the Australian state of Queensland while filming a documentary. While wading through the waters of Batt Reef, he was stabbed in the chest by a stingray barb.
Bob was said to have been “devastated” in September last year that he had not yet had the opportunity to meet his great-granddaughter. Bob wants to meet this child, the firstborn to his estranged granddaughter Bindi, so he can see his son continue to live for generations.
In March 2021, Bindi gave birth to her daughter Grace Warrior Irwin Powell. Woman’s Day reported that Bindi had banned her daughter from meeting her 83-year-old great-grandfather.
She keeps talking about the kids and Steve, but it’s depressing. “I know he’s heartbroken that he didn’t get to meet his great-grandson,” a source close to the family told the magazine.
In addition, Bob’s images were taken from the Irwin Australian Zoo family compound. In order for Bob to be welcomed back into the family, a source also revealed to Woman’s Day that Bob wants to make things right with Bindi.
After letting his estranged daughter-in-law run the Australia Zoo for years, Bob is now ready to battle Terri for ownership of the facility.
Set in an Australian zoo, this family drama encapsulates the evolving dynamics of the Irwin family, once united by a shared passion for wildlife conservation. Bob Irwin’s quest to regain control of the zoo he founded adds another poignant layer to his strained relationship with Terri Irwin and underscores his deep connection to the sanctuary. The dispute also serves as a reflection of the challenges that can arise when family heritage intersects with business decisions.
The generation gap, marked by Bob’s estrangement from Terri and their children since Steve Irwin’s death, further heightens the narrative. Bob’s desire to meet his great-granddaughter becomes a poignant symbol of family fractures that need to be mended.
As the legal battle unfolds, it not only raises questions about the future of Australia Zoo but also prompts reflection on the delicate balance between preserving the founder’s vision and adapting to the changing landscape of wildlife conservation. The Irwin family saga continues to draw public interest and offer insight into the complexities that can accompany the intersection of personal relationships and the administration of a beloved institution.