Jim Plexico
Today I was able to check off an item on my “bucket list.” We visited Australia Zoo, founded by Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. Australia Zoo is as over the top as Steve Irwin was! I tried to think of adjectives but they just became redundant. I’m a fan of zoos and animal parks and this is without a doubt the best I have ever seen. They have mixed animals that are wandering free with animals that are contained so that you can feed kangaroos hopping free and then walk into a cave and see Tasmanian Devils that look like they are in their own homes. The contained animals have artistic backgrounds and habitats. The snakes are surrounded by beautiful, realistic paintings of their local areas. Each animal has photos of the animal, descriptions, interesting facts and a photo of Steve taken from his TV show interacting with that type animal. Jim Plexico was able to meet some new friends who didn’t mind posing for photos!
I was so excited and I was not disappointed in the least. The day also was bittersweet. I have been a fan of the Croc Hunter for many years. The zoo is filled with pictures of Steve, most from the TV show and a lot from recognizable episodes. There is an area chronicling he and his family’s life. The most touching was the tribute area where people wrote messages on khaki Croc Hunter shirts after his untimely death. This will be a memory I will treasure always from an experience I never thought I would have.
