Death of the Crocodile Hunter

Well, it's not often that the death of a non-royal, non-head-of-state can bring a nation into a period of mourning - but that's exactly what the death of Steve Irwin has done to Australia.

The famed Crocodile Hunter died this morning around 11am while filming a segment for his daughter's new television show, just off the north Queensland coast. A stingray's barb entered his chest, and punctured his heart. Now who on earth would have seen that one coming? When you think about it, it's typical Steve isn't it? He lived a life of unpredictable danger, and to extinguish his life in a way any less rare, spectacular and shocking would have been an anti-climax to a truly remarkable and awe-inspiring life.

Steve Irwin epitomised the Australian spirit of mateship, compassion and family. He lived his life true to his beliefs - he was a fantastic father, a great ambassador for this country and the true leader in the field of wildlife conversation. For many, many years to come, Steve Irwin will be remembered as a truly great Australian -- and one who I must say am privileged to have seen with my very own eyes. A few years ago I visited Australia Zoo with my family, and witnessed one of Steve's famous crocodile shows - a memory I will now always treasure.

A girl at uni today said "I was planning on visiting Australia Zoo just to see Steve, and now I never will." and it sort of just hit me - it's the end of an era for the Sunshine Coast - their main tourist attraction was not the zoo, but Steve himself. He put Beerwah on the international stage, and the Caloundra City Council and indeed the people of Queensland will always be thankful for his work in tourism that heput his heart and soul into.

But that's just it, isn't it? There wasn't a single thing that Steve undertook that he didn't put his entire heart and soul into. Movies, documentaries, television series, ambassador duties, television interviews, charity work - he went about every single facet of his public life with a special pazzaz and zest for life that I don't think anybody in Australia right now could match.

Vale, Steve Irwin. You will be sorely missed.