Bob Irwin 'forced from Australia Zoo'


Wildlife pioneer Bob Irwin has bought a property at Wattle Camp near Kingaroy in the wake of rumours he is no longer welcome at the zoo he founded with his late wife nearly 40 years ago.

Australia Zoo was still refusing to comment last night on reports that Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin’s father had been banned from the Beerwah grounds due to a family falling out.

A national magazine has reported that rumours of a rift between Bob and Terri Irwin surfaced several weeks ago.

The article claimed the feud erupted over the direction of the zoo and its growing focus on commercialisation and Bindi’s career.

A volunteer at the zoo was quoted as saying Bob was unhappy with the way Australia Zoo was being run.

“There are people at the zoo who think that Steve’s commitment to animal research and conservation isn’t being maintained,” she said.

Several former staff members have told the Daily that Bob Irwin was unhappy with the surge in activities seemingly unrelated to conservation, including a guest appearance by US psychic John Edward at the zoo last year.

“Bob is angry that the zoo is being turned into a circus and the focus on animal conservation and education is being lost,” one source claimed.

“Staff were horrified about the way Bob was being treated after he had put his heart and soul into the place.”

The zoo’s communication manager told the Daily more than a week ago that she would provide a statement in response to the rumours, after the general manager, Steve’s brother-in-law Frank Muscillo, had spoken to Bob.

No statement has been forthcoming.

A private man whose interests, according to zoo sources, lie solely with the welfare of native wildlife, Bob Irwin has been out of contact since stories began circulating about the fractured relationship with his daughter-in-law.

Bob was reported to be facing a battle to remain in the home at Blackbutt in which he and his partner Judy have been living.

When the Daily visited the town last week, there was no sign of Mr Irwin at the property, and staff at the post office said they had not seen him or Judy for some time.

The Daily has since learned that Mr Irwin settled on Thursday on the purchase of a 242-acre property at Wattle Camp, described by a local as wildlife country.

The source said there was no home on the property and it was likely to be some time before Bob could live on the land, despite suggestions that he planned to move there in June.

Irwin family spokesman John Stainton has said he knows nothing about the rumoured split or suggestions that Bob would have to leave his Blackbutt home.

Since Steve Irwin’s sudden death in September 2006, Bindi has launched a clothing range, Bindi wear, and recently, her own action figure.

Late last year Terri released My Steve, a book detailing her life with the late crocodile hunter.