Happy Steve Irwin Day! Established by Australia Zoo in 2007, the day honours the life and legacy of the legendary “Crocodile Hunter” – timed especially to coincide with the birthday of Harriet, his favourite Galápagos tortoise. Renowned for his boundless passion for wildlife, Steve found his perfect partner in Terri Irwin, who he met when she visited Steve’s wildlife park by chance. It was love at first sight, and together they became a global force for animal advocacy, raising two children while building a conservation empire that captured hearts around the world.
After Steve’s untimely passing in 2006, Terri and their two children, Bindi and Robert Irwin, have carried forward his mission, growing Australia Zoo’s initiatives and inspiring new generations to protect wildlife. In celebration of their extraordinary love story, we’re taking a look at their relationship in pictures, as well as revisiting the unforgettable moments that defined their life together.
© Getty ImagesThe pair sharing a playful moment during the press tour for The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, 2002
Love at first sight (1991)
Steve Irwin first met Terri Raines in October of 1991 at Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, his family’s modest wildlife park that would later become Australia Zoo. The Crocodile Hunter had just taken over management of the park from his parents, and Terri, who started a wildlife rehabilitation centre called Cougar Country in 1986, was visiting Australia all the way from Oregon.
“Driving by there was this little tiny sign and this little tiny zoo, and I thought, ‘I’ll just go in to check it out,’” Terri shared in an episode of Crocodile Hunter. “There was a crocodile demonstration going on with this guy. This man was in with a crocodile talking about animals the way you talk about what you had for lunch”.
Steve recalled locking eyes with Terri in the crowd, and believing it was “love at first sight”, adding “I know this sounds like it’s coming out of some Mills & Boon love novel, but it’s true”.
© Animal Planet/Everett/ShutterstockTerri, Steve, and their dog Sui in 2000
Transforming Australia Zoo (1990s)
The happy couple tied the knot in Terri’s hometown of Eugene in June 1992 – and of course there was no ordinary honeymoon for this animal-loving pair. Steve and Terri embarked on a crocodile rescue mission, opting to film the entire journey, which would later serve as a precursor to the infamous Crocodile Hunter series (1996–2004).
Together, they set to work transforming Steve’s reptile park, including changing the name to Australia Zoo in 1998. From building immersive wildlife exhibits to rescuing endangered species, the couple’s shared vision made the zoo both an entertainment hotspot and a global hub for animal conservation.
© WireImageSteve shared the sweetest words about his and Terri’s daughter Bindi
Bindi (1998)
The couple welcomed their first daughter, Bindi, in 1998, and she would grow up to follow in her parents’ adventurous footsteps as a conservationist at Australia Zoo and star in her own TV show, Bindi the Jungle Girl (2007–2008). Today, 27-year-old Bindi continues the family legacy while raising her four-year-old daughter, Grace, with husband Chandler Powell.
Reflecting on his first born, Steve once gushed to 60 Minutes Australia in 2002: “I never thought there was something as beautiful in this world as my daughter. She is something else”.
Bindi gave an emotional tribute to her late father during the final of Dancing with the Stars in 2015, a moving moment that helped carry her to victory.
© Moviestore/ShutterstockThe movie poster for The Crocodile Hunter : Collision Course, 2002
Superstar status (2000s)
Crocodile Hunter became an international smash-hit, entertaining audiences not just in Australia, but around the globe. With his infectious personality, signature catchphrase “Crikey!”, and his loyal partnership with Terri, the pair brought wildlife education to the masses and inspired legions of fans to experience the magic of Australia Zoo firsthand.
In 2002, the couple took their mission even further, founding Wildlife Warriors to protect endangered species and preserve habitats worldwide. As their fame grew, Steve remained focused on his lifelong commitment to animals.
“What good is a fast car, a flash house, and a gold-plated dunny to me?” he told 60 Minutes Australia. “I’ve been put on this planet to protect wildlife and wilderness areas”.
© Australia Zoo via Getty ImagesTerri with Bindi and Robert in 2007
Robert (2003)
The couple welcomed their son, Robert, in 2003, completing their family. In a touching video shared by Robert on his Instagram, featuring footage from his childhood, his dad Steve reflected, “When Bindi was born, I had the same sensation now with little Bob. Same sensation like, ‘This is why I was put here’”.
Steve also spoke of his hopes for their future, hoping his kids would inherit his and Terri’s mission. “When they’re ready to run up our mission, I will gladly step aside. Then and only then will I know that I have achieved my ultimate goal and my job will be done, and I guarantee you it will be the proudest moment of my life.”
Like his big sister Bindi, Robert has laced up his dancing shoes and is now performing on the latest season of Dancing with the Stars – and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house after his moving performance dedicated to his mother.
© WireImageTerri at the book launch for “My Steve”, 2007
Steve’s passing (2006)
After Steve’s heartbreaking death in 2006, Terri remained unwavering in her devotion to both her late husband and the wildlife mission they built together. In Crikey! It’s the Irwins: Life in Lockdown (2020), she opened up about the promise she made to him.
“He said to me, ‘If anything happens to me, just make sure Australia Zoo continues,’” Terri recalled. “So it is really important that we keep this going”.
And Terri has continued to do just that. In 2007, she released her memoir, My Steve, courageously writing, “When your hero dies, everything he stood for does not end. Everything he stood for must continue.”
© WireImageTerri posing with her citizenship certificate on the inaugural Steve Irwin Day, 2009
Steve Irwin Day (2007)
Terri and the Australia Zoo team launched Steve Irwin Day on 15 November 2007 – and Harriet’s birthday is not the only milestone that shares the same date. On the very same day in 2009, Terri officially became an Australian citizen.
Now celebrated every year, the day honours Steve’s legacy with fans donating to Wildlife Warriors, rewatching his and Terri’s documentaries, and of course, wearing a pop of khaki in his memory.
© FilmMagicTerri, Bindi, and Robert at Steve’s posthumous Hollywood Walk of Fame star unveiling
Legacy
The legacy of Steve and Terri’s relationship continues to shape everything the beloved Irwin family does. Their heartwarming love story – built on an unshakeable commitment to wildlife – lives on through projects like Crikey! It’s The Irwins (2018–2022) and the annual Steve Irwin Gala, which continues to raise funds to support the mission Steve and Terri built together.
Nearly two decades on from his passing, their bond remains irreplaceable. “I totally got my happily ever after,” Terri told Us Weekly in 2024. “And while there are a lot of wonderful men in the world, can you see another Steve Irwin? I just can’t. I’d be like, ‘I love that you’re a librarian and the dewey decimal system is cool, but I got to go jump a crocodile and do that.’ Forget that.”
