Australia remembers Steve Irwin 20 years on

0:00Well, there's almost nobody more Australian than Steve Irwin and Australia is remembering the crocodile hunter today. It's 20 years since his death on the Great Barrier Reef and as Rebecca Jensen reports, Steve's best mate says he'd be so proud of his family. The sunshine coast is Irwin, heartland and hearts are heavy for those who were closest to Steve Irwin and for the wildlife warriors who he inspired who still carry on his legacy at Australia. So marking 20 years since Steve died is a chance for family and friends to remember a man who took his passion for wildlife and made himself a household name. Steve was wrestling crocodiles by age 9. And took over his father's wildlife park in 1991. When he also met Terry, they married a year later. Instead of honeymooning, they filmed a wildlife documentary. And so the crocodile hunter was born.

1:00Oh, crack a faired income Aussie Sheila. I'm just a quote from the outback doing my thing. Steve shared it all with hundreds of millions of people who watched his shows around the world. He was such an environmentalist, but he knew that his knack was to get the people who aren't really into wildlife. They're the ones really that you need to change onto conservation. So he changed millions and millions of people. Steve was 44 when he died in North Queensland after a stingray barb pierced his heart. He's remembered as a passionate conservationist protecting wildlife. He also saved the life of his best mate, Wes Manion. In 2001, Wes's pants were shredded. His buttocks too. When he was bitten by a crock, well he and Steve were clearing debris during a flood. 100 stitches later. It wasn't for Steve. I wouldn't be here right now. When the crock hit, he's quite a drimony. And so instantaneously, I've just jumped, grabbed hold of the crock right around the back legs. And hung onto his back legs, I just started jamming it with this pick out and with the

2:05crocodile safety stick. What I loved about him was his mateship. Once you were his friend, that's it. He saved my life on numerous occasions. He wasn't always like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I tell you what, the moment you talk about reptile snakes or his kids or the zoo, it's like a switch. Bindi Irwin has paid tribute to her superhero dad, saying the world lost the most passionate and dedicated wildlife conservationist. While Bindi still walks alongside the grief of losing her father every day. She also wrote, where there is grief, there is even greater love.