If there was a reason to bring together Bob Irwin Snr and his estranged daughter-in-law Terri Irwin after their decades-long feud, then it couldn’t be more fitting than fighting together to stop the culling of crocodiles in Far North Queensland.
Earlier this month, a fiery debate between Bob Irwin Snr, 86, and Federal MP Bob Katter and his son Robbie hit boiling point as Katter’s Australian Party fights to legalise the culling of crocodiles in the state, something Bob Snr is strongly against, with the father of the late Steve Irwin even going so far as to call Katter a “d***head”.
And Terri, 60, found herself on the same side of the debate as her father-in-law, with the Australia Zoo doyenne fiercely opposing the bill too, calling it “lazy and sloppy” as Katter attacked her family for being southern “entertainers” with little understanding of regional communities’ fears.
OLIVE BRANCH
Now sources close to the Irwins are hoping that the fight to save the crocodiles could finally bring the pair back together after they famously fell out in 2008, when conservationist Bob severed ties with Australia Zoo amid fears the Sunshine Coast tourist attraction he established 38 years earlier was becoming “too commercial”.
The walkout occurred less than 18 months after his famous son Steve was tragically killed by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef, just six years after his wife Lyn tragically died in a car accident.
“This is the olive branch everyone around them has been praying for – maybe being on the same side of the croc debate might just get them talking again. It was always going to be something near and dear to both their hearts – something that Steve truly was dedicated to in his quest for wildlife preservation.
“Bob Snr is one of the last remaining true wildlife warriors left on the planet, and while he’s remained incredibly dignified in his silence since his fallout with Terri, to see him now defending her has thrown fresh new hope for a reconciliation.”
FIXING THIS
In 2021 Bindi, 26, candidly revealed that her grandfather – who has always denied a family feud but hasn’t returned to the zoo since 2008 – has shown no interest in spending time with her or his granddaughter Grace, four.
But a family friend Amanda French later revealed, “He [Bob] says they’re always welcome if they ever turned up. But I think it would be hard for Bob to ring up Australia Zoo and be like – can we fix this?’’
The source adds, “Behind the scenes, Robert and Bindi would be quietly encouraging their mum to try and mend the rift once and for all – to find peace finally is all the kids want – and if that means their joint cause to saving the crocodiles, which Steve dedicated his life to, then mending the rift in honour of Steve would be the best gift any family could hope for.”
HEADING FOR HOLLYWOOD!
Flashing a $23,750 Rolex watch as he headed to the airport last week, it’s clear Robert Irwin’s Hollywood upgrade is complete!
And Woman’s Day’s sources say it’s just the tip of the iceberg for the 21-year-old wildlife warrior who has his eyes firmly on stardom as he gets set to break America with a starring turn on Dancing With The Stars US in September. Meanwhile, back home, he’s flexing his muscles on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
“Robert is calling the shots on the next series of I’m A Celeb, which will not be live and will be prerecorded in November to accommodate Robert’s other commitments,” says a TV insider. “He knows he’s the star power and the network is bending over backwards to accommodate him. The production crew are furious because it means they no longer get to go to Africa as the show will be filmed over there with a reduced crew and edited back in Australia.”
Adding to the drama, Robert is said to be debating whether to sign on for another series of the reality show, with rumours of film offers rolling in.
