Chapter 1
Snakes and Joeys
February 22, 1962, was a big day for Lyn Irwin. It was her twentieth birthday. It was also the day that her second child, and first son, was born. Stephen Robert Irwin was born in a small town called Upper Ferntree Gully, near Melbourne.
By the time Steve was a year old, he was scurrying toward the front door. There was so much to explore. As they hurried to catch him, Lyn and Bob Irwin knew they were in for a wild ride. Steve’s older sister, Joy, knew it, too. She was old enough to understand that she’d better remember to close all doors everywhere or this new little brother of hers would be missing again.
To Steve, the world outside the house was a wonderland. Steve’s father was a very successful plumber. But more than anything, Bob Irwin loved snakes and other reptiles. Steve was a curious child. He wanted to play with his father’s snakes.
Snakes can be very dangerous, Bob would say. Some snakes will not hurt you. But some are poisonous—like the brown, tiger, and taipan snakes that live in the woods.
Poisonous snakes shoot venom out through their fangs when they bite. Snakes don’t like to be disturbed. It scares them. So stay back!
The world inside Steve’s house was also interesting. Steve’s mother was trained as a nurse. She had cared for newborn babies. Lyn Irwin loved babies. All kinds of babies. She loved them as much as her husband loved snakes and lizards and plants.
Sometimes Lyn and Steve would spot an injured kangaroo, koala, or opossum lying by the side of the road. Lyn would stop the car and take the animal home. She would also check to see if there was a baby in the mother’s pouch. Baby kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, and opossums are called joeys. Steve’s first playmates were joeys.
As Steve grew older, he obeyed his father’s warnings about snakes and other dangerous animals. He stood back instead of trying to grab at the snakes. He watched how Bob gently handled the reptiles with love and respect.
When Bob went into the woods to look for snakes and lizards, Steve came along. Bob pointed out all kinds of wildlife. He explained how frogs were disappearing because of water pollution. They needed help, or soon they might become extinct. There would be no more of them. People were clearing the land and cutting down trees. Beautiful birds were also losing their homes.
When they went out to see the crocodiles, Steve moved close to the riverbank. These are freshwater crocs, Bob would say. They live in rivers and creeks where the water is fresh, not salty. Saltwater crocs live in salty oceans. Sometimes they wander into freshwater. Salties are much bigger and much more dangerous than freshies.
Bob never seemed frightened of the wildlife he loved. But sometimes he sounded angry. People wanted to kill these beautiful crocs and snakes and lizards. Poachers shot them and sold their skins to people who made shoes and handbags.
When Steve was six years old, his father gave him a twelve-foot python. Pythons do not produce venom, so they are not poisonous. Pythons kill their prey by squeezing. They can be dangerous, too. Bob taught Steve to be very careful. Steve loved his new pet. He held it gently, like his mother had done when she cared for sick and injured baby animals.
In the evenings, Bob and Lyn talked about how they wished they could spend all their time caring for wildlife. There were three children now—Joy, Steve, and the new baby, Mandy.
The Irwins discussed buying some land near the ocean. They could work together as a family. Bob would be able to spend time with the reptiles. Lyn would have more room to care for baby animals. Together they could teach about Australian wildlife. They would create a park. People would pay to see the animals.
The more they talked, the more excited they became. They would live in a trailer while they built a house. Bob was good at building. He’d helped build houses before. Bob drew up plans for the house and the park. Lyn was in charge of money.
The year was 1970. Steve Irwin was eight years old. The Irwins came to a decision. Now was the time to follow their dream.