Beerwah, Queensland
The Real Steve and Terri Irwin
Steve seems to have that kind of effect on his fans, but for the folks in Beerwah, Steve is just Steve.
"He was the same as he is today," says Nikki Strong, owner of Matilda's Fruit and Veggies with her husband, Bruce, remembering Steve before superstar status. "He couldn't do enough for people."
Strong has known Steve for over 20 years, since the days when she worked at a market that supplied chickens for Steve's crocs. Today, she also supplies the zoo's animals, and the family, with fresh fruits and vegetables.
"The other night he came in to get some fruit; he'd come in from the airport and he was telling us stories about where he'd been," Strong says. "We're just glad he's out catching crocs in Mexico and not us."
We actually ran into Terri at Matilda's, dropping carrots into her basket along with cauliflower, bananas, red lettuce, strawberries and oranges.
"I'm trying to get Bindi to eat her carrot sticks," she says. "Actually, she's quite good about eating vegetables."
Terri says she loves the variety of fruits and vegetables available in Australia. And while she's out doing the shopping, it's Steve who does the cooking.
"He's quite good at curry, Thai food and barbecue," she says. Bindi loves her dad's cooking. "When we go out to eat, Bindi says, 'This is good mommy, but not like daddy's meat.'"
The Strongs love Bindi to bits and always send her little treats.
"They are people, just like us," Strong says. "And we treat them that way."
Greg Coxet, owner of Beerwah Enterprises and a long-time friend of the Irwins, has supplied the concrete for the endless construction going on at the zoo.
"He's always been a character," says Coxet, who remembers Steve stopping by the place asking for "spare blokes" to move a crocodile in the early days.
And he's always been loyal and generous to a "T," according to Coxet, who has known Steve and his parents for 25 years. In fact, Steve and Terri only do business locally, giving their dollars back to people who live in Beerwah and the surrounding area.
Coxet remembers having a meeting with Steve when a star-struck fan started yelling his name and wouldn't stop.
"Steve stopped what he was doing, turned around and greeted the fan, then went back to taking care of his business. I don't know how he did it. I felt like turning around and hitting the bloke in the head."
Impressed at how well the Irwins are handling their fame, Coxet notes that they don't live in a big, flashy house and Steve drives an old, mud-covered truck he's had for years.
"He's special because he's a friend, not because he's the Crocodile Hunter," says Coxet. "He's mad, but he's good.
Tonight is the night. We'll be on the set early to bring you all the action from behind the scenes of Croc Hunter Live. We can truly say, it'll be like nothing you've ever seen before.
