RIP Steve Irwin you bloody legend.
Mon, 4 Sept 2006, 01:03 pmTalei20 posts in thread
RIP Steve Irwin you bloody legend.
Mon, 4 Sept 2006, 01:03 pmTaken from the ABC News Website
Steve Irwin dead
The naturalist and television star Steve Irwin has died in a diving accident in far north Queensland. He was 44.
Police say he was stung through the heart by a stingray while diving off Port Douglas.
He was filming a documentary when the accident occurred around midday AEST near the Low Isles.
A police helicopter arrived to try to resuscitate him, but it was too late.
Irwin, who was was born in Victoria in 1962, inherited his love of reptiles from his father.
His father Bob was a keen reptile enthusiast and moved the family to Queensland in 1970 to open a small reptile park on the Sunshine Coast.
Irwin took over the family business in 1991 and grew it into Australia Zoo.
In 1992 he ventured into television, making the first series of the Crocodile Hunter.
When the program aired in the United States, he shot to international fame.
Irwin is survived by his wife Terri and two children.
Nature lover
In 2003, he spoke to the ABC's Australian Story about how he was perceived in his country.
"When I see what's happened all over the world, they're looking at me as this very popular, wildlife warrior Australian bloke," he said.
"And yet back here in my own country, some people find me a little bit embarrassing.
"You know, there's this... they kind of cringe, you know, 'cause I'm coming out with 'Crikey' and 'Look at this beauty'.
"Just say what you're gonna say, mate. You know, is it a cultural cringe? Is it, they actually see a little bit of themselves when they see me, and they find that a little embarrassing?
"I'm fair dinkum, like kangaroos and Land Cruisers, winged keels and bloody flies! I think we've lost all that. I think we've all become very, sort of, money people."
He also spoke of his love for surfing.
"You get out there, it's just you against the waves.
"There's no paparazzi, there's no fan base, and it gives me a chance to recuperate and regenerate.
"I think I've actually got animals so genetically inside me that there's no way I could actually be anything else.
"I think my path would have always gone back to or delivered me to wildlife. I think wildlife is just like a magnet, and it's something that I can't help."
Don't Judge
Fri, 8 Sept 2006, 09:51 pmI think its sad for Australia that we have lost two Austalian legends in less than one week. In regards to Steve Irwin althought some people opposed his methods overall he had a huge amount of support because he raised awareness of the importance of conservation in this country, something that has been neglected by many others. As for his image , guess what there ARE Australians who talk like that, dress like that and act like that. No its not the mainstream , but some people still possess that Australian ocker persona and we shouldn't be ashamed of that. As for the way we are portrayed overseas, Steve Irwin was a walking talking advertising campaigne for Australia, and many people wpuld have been drawn here because of him and realised we are not all like that . Not that they wouldn't know anyway. I mean everyone knows that Nicole Kidman, Heath Legder and Kylie Minouge are High Profile Aussies and none of the walk around saying G'day mate and Crikey ! As for Germain Greer who is she is comment on Australia. Did she not once say that she would never live here again and we are backwards. She obviously does not realise that we aren't living in the 1970's anymore and she can hardly call herself an Australian. I think overall my sadness is for his wife and his two beautiful children who have lost a husband and father who they loved dearly and I think we haven't seen the end of Steve's passion and love of animals and conservation and his children will continue his legend. Thank God for that.