Bob Irwin's plight

Reporter: Rodney Lohse

Broadcast Date: September 30, 2008

Bob Irwin's new home is called Camp Chilli, a 640 acre property bordered by state forest and national park, north-west of Brisbane.

It has opened for business, although the residents will never pay a cent, it is a halfway house for injured animals.

Caring for animals and learning their secrets is all that has ever driven Bob and it was that which drove him away from Australia Zoo.

"That is something I haven't spoken about, there were some personal issues there, between me and the management," he said.

The reality is Bob believes Australia Zoo's priority since Steve's death, is no longer the animals, it is instead focused on becoming Australia's answer to Disneyland.

And while he says his dispute was with Zoo management, it is very much a family dispute because the management is his family, including his daughter-in-law Terri Irwin.

Bob admits the resignation from the zoo has also affected his relationship with his grandkids.

"It has in the fact that I don't get to see them as much as I would like to and that is possibly my fault," he said.

He has only seen Bindi and Robert once this year.

That said he and Terri are on speaking terms, but speak rarely.

"It's not easy for a single mum, a working mum that is running a huge business, to bring up two children as well," Bob said.

"I think Terri has done a great job.

"Whether she is right or wrong about the TV and that sort of stuff, I don't know."

Bob has four major projects in the pipeline. He is looking to build two new animal hospitals with the RSPCA and also intends to take on the crocodile farming and roo shooting industries.

His number one priority is to save the Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat.

"I went to South Australia to get first hand knowledge, I was shocked by what I saw."

He believes he has 10 years left and in that time, he has to carry on Steve's work, make a difference and leave a place his son would be proud of.

Related information

If you would like to help Bob in his quest to save the Southern Hairy Nose Wombat or help with any his conservation efforts, you can give to the Bob Irwin Projects through the RSPCA.

Visit www.rspcaqld.org.au or call the Queensland RSPCA on  (07) 3426 9914  and leave a message.