Bindi Irwin has marked the 20th anniversary of her father Steve's death on September 4, 2006, by posting a tribute to him on Instagram. Bindi, who was just eight years old when her father died at age 44 while filming a documentary, calls him a "superhero" and says his legacy is about love for the planet and each other. The Irwin family has continued to run Australia Zoo in Queensland since Steve's death, with his children Bindi, now 28, and Robert, 22, carrying on their father's work. Bindi's tribute also included a story from her mother Terri about Steve's reaction to Bindi's birth and the inspiration behind her name.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The family of Steve Irwin, including his children Bindi and Robert, are honoring their late father on the 20th anniversary of his death. Steve Irwin was killed at the age of 44 in a stingray attack while diving near the Great Barrier Reef in 2006. His daughter Bindi, now 28, has written a heartfelt tribute to her father, calling him "my family's superhero" and stating that his legacy is not just about wildlife conservation, but also about love for the planet and each other. She notes how her mother, Terri Irwin, lost the "love of her life" and how she and her brother grew up missing their father, whom they describe as "the greatest dad." The family continues to run the Australia Zoo in Queensland, which was founded by Steve's parents in the 1970s. Bindi also shares a touching story about how her own 5-year-old daughter connects with her grandfather through his documentaries, feeling loved and cared for despite never having met him.
Written for “Steve Irwin Tribute” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 3806 · logged 2026-09-04
- Published
Australian conservationist Bindi Irwin has marked the 20th anniversary of her famous father's death with a touching tribute to the man best known as the "Crocodile Hunter".
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Irwin → publish → Hunter
Steve Irwin died on 4 September 2006, aged 44, after a stingray fatally pierced his chest while he was underwater filming a documentary at the Great Barrier Reef.
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he → die → Reef
Bindi, who was eight when her father died, called Steve a "superhero" in an online post on Friday, saying she has "watched the world mourn my dad with our family" for the past two decades.
"I always thought that my dad's legacy is wildlife conservation; it turns out, his legacy is love.
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legacy → die → decades
For our planet and for each other," Bindi, 28, wrote on Instagram.
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Bindi → write → Instagram
She described the impact of her father's death on her mother Terri and her younger brother Robert, 22.
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She → describe → mother
"My mum lost the love of her life; my brother and I lost the greatest dad," she wrote.
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she → lose → dad
"Grief never truly leaves us; we walk alongside it every day."
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we → leave → it
Bindi also shared details on how her daughter connects with the grandfather she never got to meet.
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she → share → grandfather
I have a 5-year-old daughter who watches his documentaries every morning.
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who → have → documentaries
She feels utterly loved by her 'grandpa crocodile' without ever having met him.
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She → feel → him
Since Steve's death, the Irwins have continued to run Australia Zoo in Queensland.
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Irwins → continue → Queensland
"My dad left a lasting impact so poignant that it will ripple out for generations to come," Bindi wrote, saying his life and legacy were "worth celebrating".
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life → leave → generations
She thanked Steve for being the family's "guardian angel" and signed off her message saying she loved him "with my whole heart".
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she → thank → heart
Steve's wife Terri also took to social media to mark the day, posting an interview where the khaki-clad wildlife advocate recounted Bindi's birth and its impact on him.
"The most incredible wildlife encounter of my life was the birth of my daughter, Bindi," Steve says in the interview, with his signature enthusiasm.
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Steve → take → enthusiasm
The first time he held his newborn child, the inspiration for her name hit him.
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inspiration → hold → him
"I was flabbergasted and it was then that her name evolved.
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name → flabbergast → ?
I've gone, 'Bindi!' after my favourite crocodile, Bindi," he said, with a wide grin.
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he → go → grin
Robert Irwin also posted a tribute to his father, with a photo of Steve holding him when he was a baby, alongside the caption, "Your legacy is forever".
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legacy → post → caption
Last November, Robert was crowned the winner of US dance competition Dancing with the Stars, a decade after his sister won the same title.
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sister → crown → title
