Steve Irwin. What a legend that man was.
Like many people my age, I feel like I grew up with the
Irwins. I watched as Steve wrestled crocs, Bindi sang about nature,
and even when Terri announced that she was pregnant with Robert.
I have a fairly vivid memory of the day I found out that
Steve had been killed in a stingray accident. Sure, I’d never met the man, but
it was so sad and strange to know that the man I’d seen in the most dangerous
of situations, the man who seemed invincible, was gone.
Fast forward to 2016. When I began to plan my Australian
adventures, I knew that one way or another, I was going to make it to the
Australia Zoo. I had to go.
And I did.
I flew into Brisbane on Monday afternoon, explored the city
(and viewed the Supermoon) that evening, and early Tuesday morning, I made my
way to the one, the only Australia Zoo.
And it was everything I’d hoped it would be…and more.
The amazing thing about the Australia Zoo is how interactive
it is. In true Irwin fashion, the keepers get you right up close and personal
with their furry, scaly, slimy, and feathery friends.
The keepers are so excited to share their love of the
animals with you, and they try to get you as close as possible to them. You can
hold a blue-tongued skink, pet an echidna, or take a picture with a macaw.
The two animals you definitely can’t get too close to,
though, are the alligators and crocodiles. But to make up for that, they have
many of them around the zoo and host a crocodile show to display these
marvelous creatures’ moves.
I swear this guy looks like he’s laughing.
If you want to get more personal with some of the
non-crocodile animals, you can book animal encounters. And because the zoo is
in Queensland instead of New South Wales, you can actually hold a koala at one of these. So, internet, meet Annie. Annie,
internet.
Annie was actually a wild koala before she was rescued by
the Australia Zoo, and now she spends a bit of her day meeting eager visitors
to the zoo, cuddling with us, and taking pictures with us.
Adorable, isn’t she?
Speaking of introductions, I joked with my family saying
that I was going to meet the Irwin family and become BFFs with Bindi, since she
is a mere two years younger than me.
What I didn’t know when I planned this trip was that I had
scheduled to visit on Steve Irwin Day—the annual celebration of Steve Irwin’s
life and legacy. And on Steve Irwin Day, the Irwin family hosts the Crocs Live!
show…
And even runs around the zoo for a bit, meaning I ACTUALLY
GOT TO MEET TERRI, ROBERT, AND BINDI IRWIN!!! Talk about a dream come true! (I
only managed to get a picture with Bindi, but I talked to each member of the
Irwin clan for a few moments. Mark that one off the Aussie bucket list!)
The Australia Zoo is an amazing place. It truly is Steve’s
legacy come to life, and there is so much joy happening there, especially from
Bindi, Terri, and Robert. Their mission is simple—protect animals, protect the
environment, and make “wildlife warriors” out of everyone they meet.
And a wildlife warrior I am.
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Read more from Caroline at http://newiintown.blogspot.com.au/
Find out more about the University of Newcastle exchange at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/newcastle
Find out more about the University of Newcastle exchange at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/newcastle
