Robert Eric Irwin was born on 8 June 1939 and is an Australian naturalist, animal conservationist, former zookeeper, and a herpetologist known for his conservation and husbandry work with apex predators and reptiles.
15 Facts About Bob Irwin
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Bob Irwin is the founder of the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park.
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Robert Bob Irwin was born on 8 June 1939, in Melbourne, Victoria.
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Bob Irwin was a successful plumber from Melbourne who, in addition, had spent time building sheds and houses.
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Bob Irwin purchased 4 acres of land to construct a wildlife refuge, and constructed the Beerwah Reptile Park.
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Bob Irwin resigned from his role as manager of Ironbark Station at Blackbutt where he lived, moving to a new 240-hectare property surrounded by forest and national park between Kingaroy and Murgon where he would continue his son's conservation work.
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Bob Irwin married Lyn Hakainsson, a maternity nurse who was killed in a car accident.
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Bob Irwin has since remarried to Judy, and was Queensland's Grandfather of the Year in 2008.
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On 2 March 2008, it was announced that Bob Irwin had resigned from Australia Zoo.
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On 12 April 2011, Bob Irwin was arrested and charged for contravening police direction as part of his civil disobedience actions against the Queensland Gas Company.
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Bob Irwin was protesting the construction of a gas pipeline.
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On 1 July 2011, Bob Irwin announced he was considering challenging Labor incumbent Kate Jones and Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman for the seat of Ashgrove in Brisbane.
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On 5 September 2011, it was reported that Bob Irwin had become disenchanted with politics and felt he could best carry on his passion for animal conservation and fight against the coal seam gas industry from outside of the political arena.
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In June 2018, Bob Irwin announced his retirement, and his Foundation announced suspension of its operations, "for the foreseeable future".
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Bob Irwin denied these comments through a spokesperson not long after.