Bob Irwin
{{Short description|Australian naturalist and former zookeeper (born 1939)}}
{{Other people||Robert Irwin (disambiguation)}}{{Not to be confused with|Robert Irwin (television personality)|text=his grandson Robert Irwin}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bob Irwin
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Robert Eric Irwin
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1939|6|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| occupation = Conservationist, former zookeeper, animal naturalist
| children = Joy • Steve • Mandy
| spouse = {{Plainlist|
- {{marriage|Lyn Hakainsson||2000|end=died}}
- {{marriage|Judy Irwin|2004}}
}}
| years_active = 1970–2018
| relatives = {{ubl|Bindi Irwin (granddaughter)|Robert Irwin (grandson)|Terri Irwin (daughter-in-law)|Chandler Powell (grandson-in-law) | Grace Warrior Irwin Powell (great-granddaughter)}}
}}
Robert Eric Irwin (born 8 June 1939) is an Australian naturalist, animal conservationist, former zookeeper, and a herpetologist known for his conservation and husbandry work with apex predators and reptiles. He is the founder of the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park (now known as Australia Zoo). His son was the television personality Steve Irwin.
Early life
Career
Irwin's career in animal conservation began in 1970, when Irwin moved his family from Essendon, located north west of Melbourne, to Queensland.
Irwin purchased {{convert|4|acre|m2}} of land to construct a wildlife refuge, and constructed the Beerwah Reptile Park.{{cn|date=December 2024}}
Irwin also resigned from his role as manager of Ironbark Station at Blackbutt where he lived, moving to a new {{Convert|240|ha|adj=on}} property surrounded by forest and national park between Kingaroy and Murgon where he would continue his son's conservation work.Green, Glenis (2 March 2008). [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23303332-952,00.html "Help for Bob Irwin as he retires from Australia Zoo"]. The Sunday Mail (Qld).
Irwin's memoir, The Last Crocodile Hunter: A Father and Son Legacy, was released on 25 October 2016.{{cite news|last1=Sigston|first1=David|date=1 September 2016|title=Bob Irwin to release memoir|publisher=News.com.au|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/bob-irwin-to-release-memoir/news-story/b623c8e98923a2d8e8f644ebb426b4f6|accessdate=1 September 2016}}
Personal life
Irwin married Lyn Hakainsson (1942–2000), a maternity nurse who was killed in a car accident.{{cite news|last1=Dick|first1=Tim|date=21 March 2008|title=Irwin family rift? Crikey|work=The Age|url=https://www.theage.com.au/technology/irwin-family-rift-crikey-20080321-ge6vi0.html|accessdate=23 March 2020}}{{cite news|last1=King Murdoch|first1=Anna|date=10 June 2003|title=He's smart, by crikey|work=The Age|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/hes-smart-by-crikey-20030610-gdvum6.html|accessdate=23 March 2020}} Together, they had three children, a daughter, Joy in 1960, son Steve (1962–2006), and a second daughter, Mandy in 1966.{{cite news|last1=Brown|first1=Malcolm|last2=Anderson|first2=Wendy|date=11 September 2006|title=Wildlife warrior took his passion to the world|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=steve+irwin+and+joy+and+mandy&pb=all_pubs&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=author&sf=headline&rc=150&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=SMH0609111AC1T935BH0|accessdate=1 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309023140/http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=steve+irwin+and+joy+and+mandy&pb=all_pubs&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=author&sf=headline&rc=150&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=SMH0609111AC1T935BH0|archive-date=9 March 2016}}
Bob Irwin has since remarried to Judy, and was Queensland's Grandfather of the Year in 2008. Irwin and his wife live on a rural property near Kingaroy, from where Irwin continued to campaign for wildlife and environmental conservation through his foundation, Bob Irwin Wildlife & Conservation Foundation Inc.{{cite web|date=7 April 2008|title=Father Of The Man – Transcript|url=http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2007/s2210614.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808060953/http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2007/s2210614.htm|archive-date=8 August 2014|website=Australian Story|publisher=ABC|quote=As soon as I drove in the gate I knew I was going to have this property [...] It's about 30 – 35 kilometres north of Kingaroy.|accessdate=3 August 2014}}
On 2 March 2008, it was announced that Bob Irwin had resigned from Australia Zoo.{{cite news|date=1 March 2008|title=Bob Irwin quits Steve's zoo|work=Courier-Mail|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/bob-irwin-quits-steves-zoo/news-story/19129ae12ee97709b06a2b0ebf5ec3b4?sv=a1a1a08089f672e40abda9b126e9097d}}
On 12 April 2011, Bob Irwin was arrested and charged for contravening police direction as part of his civil disobedience actions against the Queensland Gas Company. He was protesting the construction of a gas pipeline.{{cite news|date=12 April 2011|title=Steve would have been proud: Bob Irwin|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|url=http://www.smh.com.au/environment/steve-would-have-been-proud-bob-irwin-20110412-1dc5f.html}} He faced court in May 2011.Burgess, Sam (17 May 2011). [http://www.abc.net.au/news/beta/2011-05-18/bob-irwin-to-front-court-over-gas-protest/2717492 "Bob Irwin to front court over gas protest"]. ABC News.
On 1 July 2011, Bob Irwin announced he was considering challenging Labor incumbent Kate Jones and Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman for the seat of Ashgrove in Brisbane.{{cite news|date=1 July 2011|title=Bob Irwin won't confirm tilt at Ashgrove, but aligns with Queensland Party|newspaper=The Courier-Mail|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/bob-irwin-to-announce-intentions-in-possible-bid-for-state-seat-of-ashgrove/story-e6freoof-1226085286953|accessdate=1 July 2011}} On 5 September 2011, it was reported that Irwin had become disenchanted with politics and felt he could best carry on his passion for animal conservation and fight against the coal seam gas industry from outside of the political arena.{{cite news|date=5 September 2011|title=Bob Irwin 'too jaded' for politics|newspaper=Daily Mercury|url=http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2011/09/05/bob-irwin-wont-enter-politics/|url-status=dead|accessdate=5 September 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401211255/http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2011/09/05/bob-irwin-wont-enter-politics/|archivedate=1 April 2012|df=dmy}}
In June 2018, Irwin announced his retirement, and his Foundation announced suspension of its operations, "for the foreseeable future".{{cite news|date=28 June 2018|title=Bob Irwin retires after 'beginning to feel his age'|language=en-AU|work=Sunshine Coast Daily|publisher=Sunshine Coast Newspaper Company Pty Ltd|url=https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/bob-irwin-retires-after-beginning-to-feel-his-age/3454046/|access-date=30 January 2021|quote=The foundation went on to say they would "suspend operations" for the foreseeable future as running "a charitable environmental association, while understandably necessary, is currently beyond the capacity of our small voluntary team".}}
In June 2021, Irwin's granddaughter Bindi claimed that her entire life "has been psychological abuse from him." She also stated that Bob "never said a single kind word to her personally",{{Cite web|title=Bindi Irwin Reveals Grandfather's "Abusive" Relationship on Social Media|url=https://www.distractify.com/p/bindi-irwin-family-feud|access-date=2021-09-13|website=Distractify|date=6 July 2021 |language=en-US}} and had “shown no interest” in spending time with her or her family. Irwin denied these comments through a spokesperson (fellow conservationist and family friend Amanda French) not long after.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-21|title='He'll take it to his grave': Bob Irwin's biographer on Bindi's 'abuse' claims|url=https://7news.com.au/entertainment/bindi-irwin/bob-irwin-biographer-amanda-french-says-hes-devastated-by-bindis-abusive-claim-c-3181150|access-date=2021-09-13|website=7NEWS|language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.hyenaproductions.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=95 Bob Irwin, Artist of the Month]
{{Steve Irwin}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irwin, Bob}}
Category:People from Melbourne
Category:Australian people of Irish descent
Category:Australian conservationists
Category:Australian herpetologists
Category:Australian naturalists