Welcome to Australia Zoo. Skip directly to: Search Box, Section Navigation, Content.

Australia Zoo - Home of the Crocodile Hunter

Save Steve's Place - Sign the petition
Events @ Australia Zoo

Good Old Days

Good Old Days
Dad and Mum bought our original four acres of land in 1970. Dad was a very successful plumber from Melbourne who’d proudly built sheds and houses, so he easily turned his hand to building and designing the “Beerwah Reptile Park”. His foresight and innovation in captive care of Australian native animals was setting a new benchmark for wildlife welfare in Australia. All his energy was put into the Reptile Park – so for the first couple of years in our brand new life of exhibiting native fauna, we lived in this old caravan. Slowly but surely Dad built a shed, and then our house, which my family and I live in to this day.
By 1972 Dad and Mum were enjoying their dream of a lifetime, running a zoological facility at their dream location – Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Starting the Beerwah Reptile Park was a huge gamble and money was very, very scarce. Dad was the ultimate builder and innovator, Mum was brilliant at budgeting and thrift. So together the Irwin family worked long and hard to eke out an existence. good old days
I was always fascinated with photography and as a very young boy I took this photo of my dad with the very first croc he caught on my ancient Box Brownic camera. It seems Dad and I spent most of our lives catching Reptiles during the 70s – CRIKEY it was fun!
good old days
By 1980 the Beerwah Reptile Park was pumping along slowly but surely. Every single cent that was earned was turned straight back into the place. So day by day, week by week, year by year the park grew and grew. Dad and Mum decided that we had outgrown the “Beerwah Reptile Park” by becoming the state of Queensland’s Premier Wildlife Attraction, so they upgraded the name to the "Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park." Wow! What a monumental step. We purchased another four acres adjoining us and dad and I ripped right into it with his old dilapidated backhoe. good old days
The first crocodile bred at the park during the early 80s. good old days
I was right into rescues. I rescued this gorgeous little platypus from certain death. good old days
Easily the biggest jolt to the Zoo happened in the mid-80s when this young bloke rocked up with his Dad, desperate to work here. Enter young Wes Mannion. Wes has always been a very close friend of Harriet’s. good old days
Wes & Maggie, his first love, in '87. good old days
Dad and Mum loved Wes like my little brother and in no time at all, he was allowed to feed the freshies from the fence. good old days
good old days
Wes looks pretty innocent here, but we were about to embark on our naughtiest Zoo antics ever. good old days
Here is a shot of me feeding Anvil our largest Saltie back in 1983. I’d been feeding all the crocs since the 70s. Dad was easing Wes into feeding the crocs step by step. good old days
In 1985, Dad and Mum felt I was well and truly in control of the park and decided to have their first holiday in 15 years. They hadn’t left 15 minutes when I said to Wes, “Hey mate, check this out!” as I fed Anvil. Of course Wes was totally impressed and more than a little envious. good old days
We were so bad. “Okay Wes, you feed him.” He didn’t have to be asked twice. Wes jumped straight into the start of his croc feeding career. Thank god Dad never found out. good old days
From that day on, Wes and I would run a muck with the crocodiles the very moment Dad was away from the Park. good old days
good old days
  good old days
During the same mid-80s era, a beautiful 15-year-old girl walked into our lives. Kelsey started at the Zoo doing work experience and quickly bonded with Harriet and the entire menagerie. Dad, Mum, Wes, Kelsey and I were a great team and I guess we were all headed in an amazing direction. good old days
  good old days
While I was up catching crocodiles in 1986 I found this gorgeous Sand Goanna. good old days
  good old days
1987 marked the year we built the Crocodile Environmental Park. An absolute milestone in our history. Dad was sick and tired of salties being killed and skinned by ugly crocodile farmers whose greed and barbaric nature was setting an awful example for Queensland tourism. We worked hard and long to bring the new venture to fruition. good old days
This is "Jedda," an Endangered Proserpine Rock Wallaby. During the late 80s we bred her with the endangered Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby to see if their offspring would be capable of breeding. The breeding was a huge success for us, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), the University of Queensland and, of course, Rock Wallabies. good old days
I spent most of the late 80s in north Queensland capturing crocodiles. Mostly saving their lives and relocating them. Those which I sent back down to Dad and Wes were to become stars of the Crocodile Environmental Park. good old days
Nothing brought me more pleasure than having Wes come up and give me a hand catching crocs. good old days
  good old days
The success of the Environmental Park firmly rested on our shoulders. If Wes and I were up north catching Crocs, Kelsey would do the daily croc feeding demonstration. good old days
  good old days
  good old days
  good old days
When I’d come home, I’d jump straight into doing croc demos. I love 'em… good old days
Crocs, koalas, platypuses, taipans, whatever!!! Mum took it all in her stride with passion & professionalism. Thanks Mum - you taught me well. good old days
Crikey, what a family. One day back in the early 90s I heard head slaps in the Crocodile Environmental Park. Molly was trying to kill this little croc Bowen. I jumped in with Mum and caught her, and Mum had to hold her down while I fixed up a temporary holding area. Joy, Rebecca and James were so proud of their Grandma. Me too!! good old days
1990. This was a big day with everyone at the croc demo – and loving it. The word was really starting to get around about the power of our crocodile demos. good old days
Wes with a Perentie in the early 90s. good old days
It was 1991 and our car park was starting to overflow regularly. The word-of-mouth about our wildlife and croc demos was raging. good old days
I starred in the Solo Man commercial in '92. good old days
1992 and look who walked into our lives good old days
No sooner than we met, we were married and I started Terri catching Fierce Snakes. good old dayd
... And, of course, feeding big crocs. good old days
  good old days
Soon other American girls entered our lives: The Fang Sisters. good old days
As soon as we were married, Dad and Mum handed the Zoo over to us and we went ballistic. My croc demos were being touted as the greatest wildlife event in history. People were flocking to the Zoo to see me work with the love of my life, big wild caught Saltwater Crocodiles. Especially this one – Agro. good old days
  good old days
We had to buy the next-door neighbours' avocado farm for a car park. We were growing so fast. We couldn’t stem the flow. good old days
Kelsey & Briano doing snake demos back in the mid-90s. good old days
Jan feeding young Dajarra in '95. good old days
Lilly loves Thelma and Bindi - 1998. good old days
We became Australia Zoo in 1992, and we haven’t looked back since!