Bindi Irwin honours ‘superhero’ dad Steve Irwin with heartfelt tribute 20 years after his death

Bindi Irwin has shared an emotional tribute to the life and legacy of Steve Irwin, 20 years after she lost her “superhero” dad.

The tragic death of The Crocodile Hunter shocked the world in September 2006.

Two decades later, Steve’s name remains synonymous with conservation work to preserve and protect wildlife.

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Bindi, along with her mother, Terri, and brother, Robert, continue that work today at Australia Zoo.

The eldest of Steve’s two children, Bindi took to Instagram to mark the tragic anniversary, saying: “20 years ago, today, the world lost the most passionate and dedicated wildlife conservationist.”

“My mum lost the love of her life; my brother and I lost the greatest dad.

“Grief never truly leaves us; we walk alongside it every day. Where there is enormous grief, there is even greater love.”

The post was accompanied by a sweet video of Steve, enthusiastically recounting Bindi’s birth.

Steve starts the clip by saying the moment his daughter was born was the “most incredible wildlife” encounter of his life.

He ends the video by revealing that after Bindi was born he raced around the hospital, proudly showing off his baby girl.

“I always thought that my dad’s legacy is wildlife conservation; it turns out, his legacy is love,” Bindi continued.

Bindi’s husband, Chandler Powell, has also become a big part of the Irwin family and their conservation work.

They are parents to five-year-old Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, whose middle name is a nod to Steve’s role as a wildlife warrior.

While she never got to meet her world-famous grandfather, Grace watches his documentaries every morning.

“She feels utterly loved by her ‘grandpa crocodile’ without ever having met him,” Bindi said.

“My dad left a lasting impact so poignant that it will ripple out for generations to come.

“I believe with my whole heart that his love will live on forever. In all of us.

“In every kindness we show to the Earth. And that is a life and legacy worth celebrating.”

Bindi ended her touching post by thanking her dad for continuing to be their “guardian”.

“Conservation is my job, my life, my whole persona,” Steve famously said during his career, lduring which brought dangerous animals up close to television audiences worldwide.

His mission was simple: to make people fall in love with the wild and look after it for the next generation.

From handling aggressive crocodiles to showcasing giant African millipedes, his enthusiasm was infectious.

Today, Steve’s family continues to build on his life’s work of saving wild animals and leading global conservation efforts at Australia Zoo in Queensland.

Steve started catching “small problem crocodiles” when he was nine years old.

He went on to use these skills to help catch “problem crocodiles” for the Queensland government in remote areas.

Steve’s connection to wildlife was deeply rooted in his family.

His parents, Bob and Lyn Irwin, opened the property that now holds Australia Zoo in 1970 as a two-acre reptile and fauna centre called the Beerwah Reptile Park.

A decade later, the park had expanded and was renamed the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park.

In 1991, Steve met his future wife, an Oregon native named Terri Raines.

They tied the knot the following year. Their honeymoon was a crocodile rescue mission, and footage of the expedition became the first episode of their TV series Crocodile Hunter.

In 1992, Steve and Terri took over management of the park and renamed it Australia Zoo. Six years later, they welcomed Bindi before Robert was born in 2003.

On September 4, 2006, Steve was killed by a short-tail stingray while filming in the Great Barrier Reef.

The stingray’s barb pierced his chest, penetrating his thoracic wall and heart, and causing massive trauma.

Steve died at Cairns Base Hospital after the freak accident while filming in Far North Queensland.

The news shocked the world, with his death making headlines globally for days.

Flags on the Sydney Harbour Bridge were lowered to half-mast in his honour.

A televised public memorial service was held at the Crocoseum at Australia Zoo, where staff and thousands of fans honoured his conservation legacy.

Bindi, who was just eight at the time of her father’s death, delivered a moving public eulogy, saying, “My daddy was my hero”.

Terri later shared when they last saw Steve waving goodbye before the trip, Bindi said: “That’s how I’ll always remember him, standing on that truck.”

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Their children, alongside family members such as Bindi’s husband, continue to run the zoo and its non-profit, Wildlife Warriors.

Bindi, now 27, works at Australia Zoo and travels the world to speak about conservation.

Robert was just two years old when his father died, but today, the 21-year-old uses every opportunity to raise awareness of his dad’s work.

Robert is a wildlife conservationist, nature photographer and Logie-winning TV personality.

Much like his father, he has a passion for crocodiles and participates in demonstrations with the zoo’s resident crocs.

Robert has called his father a “superhero figure” and an “omnipresent” force in his life.

Through television shows like Crikey! It’s the Irwins and Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors, as well as his award-winning wildlife photography, Robert continues to educate millions on biodiversity and conservation.