The Irwin family are about as synonymous with the Sunshine Coast as it gets. “I was quite literally born and bred at Australia Zoo,” Robert Irwin says. “It was a very unusual childhood but a pretty awesome one as well. It’s the most wonderful place to grow up. I’ll always be so grateful for home.” A childhood among the sprawling savannas, rugged hinterlands, and white-sand beaches sounds pretty idyllic—especially for a child so at one with nature.
“I spent probably 99 percent of my time outside,” Irwin laughs. “The only time I was inside was when I had to sleep. I grew up as what my mum would describe a ‘free-range kid.’ My idea of fun was running around Australia Zoo—it’s a state-of-the-art wildlife sanctuary on over 700 acres of land, so I grew up catching snakes and hugging koalas and riding horses and being in there with rhinos, giraffes, and elephants. It was such a magical childhood. Whenever I come back home, I’m hit with this overwhelming feeling of being so grateful to live where I do,” he says.
For someone whose entire life has revolved around Australia Zoo, what strikes me most about Irwin is his seemingly unending enthusiasm for his hometown. He speaks with such pure excitement and passion about every topic we touch on.
“I feel like my job is to share the beauty of where I live with the world. I think it’s a place that everybody should experience. The Sunshine Coast, and Australia in general, not just my home at Australia Zoo. It is a life-changing experience to come to connect with nature.”
“When I’m home, I just feel like I’m reconnected to what is most important to me. I’m connected with my purpose, which is really to continue this amazing family business, to continue a legacy of conservation. Just talking about it makes me really, really miss it quite a lot. I look forward to getting back there.”
Here, the Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro host tells us all about his favorites across the Sunshine Coast, from the most romantic date spots to the perfect way to spend a morning.
What’s your favorite memory from your childhood on the Sunshine Coast?
For me, it’s the sounds. Every morning, waking up to the sound of the tigers next door and the lemurs that are calling at full volume, sometimes at 5 a.m. The Sunshine Coast is such an incredible location, and Australia Zoo is, in my opinion, the jewel in the crown. It’s the centerpiece of our region that so many people grow up visiting—it’s been around for over 55 years. But the Sunshine Coast itself is a region where you’re about five minutes from volcanic mountains and hinterlands and temperate forests, then about 15 to 20 minutes away from some of the best beaches in the world. It’s a beach community with the mountains right on our doorstep.