{"id":163213,"date":"2025-09-17T13:15:18","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T13:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/163213\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T13:15:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T13:15:18","slug":"robert-irwin-on-his-favorite-places-in-australia-his-fathers-legacy-and-napping-with-kangaroos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/163213\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Irwin on His Favorite Places in Australia, His Father’s Legacy, and Napping With Kangaroos"},"content":{"rendered":"

Robert Irwin<\/a> spent three weeks leading up to his Dancing With the Stars<\/a> debut far from the glitzy Hollywood dance floor. He was covered in mud in the Australian bush on Cape York Peninsula, sleeping on a tent floor surrounded by wildlife, and of course, catching crocodiles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the great part of getting to live here,\u201d the 21-year-old Australian told Travel + Leisure. \u201cIt’s so easy to get out in the middle of nowhere and just forget everything. You feel like you’re part of something so much bigger than yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

But for the conservationist, there\u2019s a personal significance to the area\u2014it was a place loved by his dad Steve Irwin, who died 19 years ago this month when he was just two years old. \u201cIt is where I feel his energy and his passion more than anywhere else,” said Irwin. The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve<\/a> protects 35 different ecosystems across 330,000 acres. \u201cIt\u2019s a real privilege to get to spend time there,\u201d the proud son said ahead of the trip. \u201cBut then I leave straight from the crocodile research expedition\u2014neck-deep in mud\u2014and fly directly to Hollywood for Dancing with the Stars! It\u2019s going to be a bit of a culture shock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Paula<\/p>\n

Paula Lobo\/ABC<\/p>\n

The judges and dancers of Dancing With The Stars Season 34 on Good Morning America.<\/p>\n

While he claimed he may not have the dance skills, he\u2019s excited to showcase the Aussie passion. \u201cWe definitely have that dancing culture, but we’re far less refined,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery silly dance move probably came from us\u2014my go-to was always the sprinkler!\u201d<\/p>\n

And he\u2019s got some winning shoes to fill, as his sister Bindi Irwin<\/a> took home the Mirror Ball Trophy in 2015. \u201cYou could hear the screams of excitement from Australia when I told her I was going to do the show,\u201d he said of his childhood goal to compete, having been there for every step of Bindi\u2019s journey. \u201cThe first thing she said is ‘make it your own,’ which has stuck with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robert Irwin<\/p>\n

Window or aisle?
Window. I don’t care if I gotta crawl over someone, I\u2019ve got to have a view, and I’ve got to take pictures. I’m that guy. I’ve been on literally thousands of flights, and every time I land, I always get my phone out and I film. Every time!<\/p>\n

How do you pass the time on long plane rides?
When I have to, I catch up on emails and work, but usually it\u2019s an excuse to be like, movie time! I was flying to London from Brisbane and looking at the in-flight movies under popular movies. The first one that showed up was my mum and dad’s movie, “Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course!” It was so nostalgic watching that.<\/p>\n

First thing you always pack?
I’ve got to have a camera with me, I take pictures of everything. I have a Leica analog film camera\u2014I especially love a camera that you have to put the film canister in. It’s true photography to me. I’m like an old guy at heart when it comes to photography.<\/p>\n

Favorite animal to photograph?\u00a0
This probably isn’t going to be a surprise because it also happens to be my favorite animal in general: crocodiles. A lot of people see them as big teeth, scary, they’ll bite you. But there’s a whole lot more to them. They’re very loving and protective\u2014so awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n

Most memorable wildlife adventure?
I was snorkeling in Lady Elliot Island in the Great Barrier Reef, and this whale\u00a0and little baby calf emerged from the deepest water and spent half an hour just with me, so close you could reach out and touch it. That was probably the most moving experience of my life.<\/p>\n

Carving his own path has been something Irwin has done all his life, despite \u201cbeing on camera since I was literally about the size of a loaf of bread.\u201d While very much following in his family\u2019s footsteps as the zoo manager<\/a> for Australia Zoo<\/a>, he\u2019s also put a focus on photography (his Instagram account is @robertirwinphotography<\/a>), and travels to advocate for the Irwin nonprofit, Wildlife Warriors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But he really veered his own way this July, taking his first solo trip in a four-wheel drive along the south coast of Queensland into New South Wales. \u201cTraveling on your own brings this new dynamic,\u201d Irwin said, admitting that \u201cat first, it was a little bit daunting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon, he found his footing, visiting beaches, surfing, skateboarding, and hiking solo. At one point, he hiked to a tucked-away beach and found no one there. \u201cI remember going, you know what I’m going to do? Absolutely nothing,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m not going to go to my next stop. I’m just going to spend the whole day parked here at this beach, watching the world go by.\u201d<\/p>\n

Embracing the \u201cfreeing feeling,” he did have a small mishap when he stopped at Coffs Harbour\u2019s The Jetty Pavilion<\/a> for a salad. \u201cA lot of lovely people wanted to say hi and have a picture,\u201d which he was happy to indulge in. \u201cBut I left in a bit of a rush and totally forgot to pay!\u201d<\/p>\n

As honest as he is positive, Irwin turned back, only to find that word had gotten out and every media outlet in town was waiting to see if he\u2019d come back to pay. \u201cIt was absolutely hilarious,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I do have to shout out their salad, which was great!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kate<\/p>\n

Kate Berry<\/p>\n

Robert in the kangaroo paddock at the Australia Zoo.<\/p>\n

Despite the mini hiccup, the solo trip was a throwback to his childhood travels. \u201cIf there was the option and time to be able to road-trip somewhere instead of fly, we always took the opportunity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

When he was four, the family drove from Adelaide to Darwin, stopping in Uluru along the way. \u201cIt was just the most wonderful time in my life to get out into the Red Centre, where the dirt\u2019s red in the desert\u2014it gets in your nose, in your pockets, everywhere,\u201d he said. \u201cThe sunsets are like nothing you\u2019ve seen, like the saturation has been turned way up. It makes you feel like you\u2019re at one with the natural world.”<\/p>\n

And as he got older, he also spent time traveling with just Bindi. \u201cIt\u2019s the coolest feeling when you start to grow up and do things on your own, you feel like you\u2019re 10 feet tall,\u201d Irwin said. \u201cHaving an older sibling was like I had a second mum. Bindi\u2019s only six years older, but is very conscientious and a real caregiver. I could flex my independence, but I also had almost a parental figure being like, \u2018Now you\u2019ve got to brush your teeth!\u2019\u201d Still, he said the two always \u201chave a lot of fun and rarely get on each other\u2019s nerves.\u201d<\/p>\n

While his relationship with Bindi has always been \u201cclose-knit,\u201d he admitted he was \u201cextremely jealous\u201d when she got to film a documentary at the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia<\/a>, where he has yet to visit. \u201cShe was sending pictures of her casually chilling out next to a whale shark, and I was internally screaming,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s definitely the next cab off the rank for me!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nowadays, family trips include Bindi\u2019s four-year-old daughter Grace, including a recent trip to Disneyland<\/a>, where she was awestruck by Princess Tiana. \u201cIt is the best thing in the whole world, watching your niece do all the things you used to do as a kid,\u201d Irwin said. \u201cGrace has such an incredible energy about her\u2014there is so much of dad’s genetics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those Irwin genes do indeed run deep, as he reflects on his father\u2019s legacy. \u201cHe’s the embodiment of passion, of living life to 100 percent,\u201d the TV personality said. \u201cIf Australia were a person, it would be my dad. To love your wildlife, to be passionate, to have that spirit of mateship and camaraderie with everyone. He is just a superhero to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The young Irwin is no doubt his dad\u2019s mini-me, long an unofficial spokesperson for his beloved home. Now he\u2019s teamed up with Tourism Australia,<\/a> hoping that more travelers will explore the \u201cmassive\u201d continent. \u201cPeople think of it as this little island nation that’s sort of just down, but it’s the same size as the lower 48 United States,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Paparwin<\/p>\n

Paparwin Tanupatarachai\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Tourists climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.<\/p>\n

The gateway cities of Sydney<\/a> and Melbourne<\/a> are the perfect hubs to ease into the Aussie way of life, experiencing both its coffee culture and city buzz, he said. But for Irwin, it\u2019s all about getting out to the beaches in Sydney, where he always goes \u201cstraight into the surf.\u201d He also recommends adrenaline seekers go on the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb<\/a>. Over in Melbourne, it\u2019s all about the \u201cnext-level\u201d food and wine.<\/p>\n

But Irwin says that \u201cthe real heart of Australia is when you get out into the bush, whether that’s into the Outback, up north into the rainforest, hitting up the beaches, or heading down south to somewhere like Tasmania, finding these little hidden gems, connecting with the locals\u2014people, and wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n

There’s no place more dear to him than the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, where he grew up inside one of its most coveted attractions, Australia Zoo<\/a>, just five minutes from a volcanic mountain range and 15 minutes from the beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had every kid\u2019s dream come true\u2014I quite literally grew up in the middle of a zoo,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard for me to even call it a zoo, it\u2019s like a resort for wildlife and hub for conservation.\u201d Set on hundreds of acres, his favorite spot is the kangaroo paddocks, especially seeing \u201cthis amazing little relationship unfold\u201d between young visitors and the \u201cpeaceful\u201d animals. After hours, he often revels in \u201cjoining the roos for a nap.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kate<\/p>\n

Kate Berry\/Australia Zoo\/Courtesy of Crocodile Hunter Lodge<\/p>\n

Irwin\u2019s also proud of the \u201cbeautiful, sustainable, environmentally-focused luxury accommodation,\u201d The Crocodile Hunter Lodge<\/a>, which opened in 2022<\/a>. In fact, chatting to us from the lodge, he marveled when a wild kangaroo jumped over to the window. \u201cHe\u2019s watching the interview\u2014that\u2019s absolutely classic,\u201d he said, taking a photo of the moment. \u201cThat’s the sign of a good zoo when animals are trying to get in!\u201d<\/p>\n

But overall for Irwin, there’s a sense of wonderment for all things Aussie. \u201cWhere I live is so much more than just home\u2014it\u2019s really where my heart beats from,\u201d he said. \u201cI’ve been lucky enough to travel to just about every corner of the planet. When you come back to Australia, you’re filled with this sense of warmth. There’s no other way to describe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure<\/a><\/p>\n