Bindi Irwin breaks down in tears as Australia Zoo opens its doors to the public again after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
She’s dedicated her life to honouring her late father Steve’s legacy by working as a Wildlife Warrior.
And on Friday, Bindi Irwin was overcome with emotion as Australia Zoo opened its doors to the public again, after closing in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The 21-year-old shared a series of photos to Instagram of herself enjoying the moment with her mother Terri, 55, brother Robert, 16, and her husband Chandler, 23, saying she was relieved to stop worrying about how ‘to pay the bills’.
Emotional: Bindi Irwin broke down in tears on Friday as Australia Zoo opened its doors to the public again after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
‘This morning we stood at the front of our home and opened the gates to visitors. I made a radio call to our entire Australia Zoo Crew that we had officially reopened which was one of the best moments of my life,’ she captioned the lengthy post.
Bindi revealed how much stress the family has been under while continuing to maintain the costly zoo located at Beerwah, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
‘For 78 days we have wondered if and when we would ever open our doors to guests again. The weight of the world seemed to press down on us as we worked hard to figure out how we’d be able to pay our bills,’ she said.
Trying times: Bindi revealed how much stress the family has been under while continuing to maintain the costly zoo located at Beerwah, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland
The newlywed admitted she cried at the momentous occasion, but they were tears of ‘joy’.
‘I cried as I felt the overwhelming joy of reopening and the stress these many weeks have brought,’ she said.
Bindi finished by thanking the public for their support and reaffirming her family were doing everything they could to keep their visitors safe during the global pandemic.
Support: Husband Chandler wrapped his arms around Bindi to comfort her
Accompanying the post was a series of images of the family in their khaki uniforms at the front of the zoo, which doubles as their home.
In one image, Terri, Robert and Chandler huddled around Bindi beaming, as she made the important opening announcement to their ‘crew’ via radio.
In another two photos, former professional wakeboarder Chandler wrapped his arm around his new wife to comfort her.
Back to it: Accompanying the post was a series of images of the family in their khaki uniforms at the front of the zoo, which doubles as their home
Daddy’s girl: Bindi lost her father Steve (pictured) in 2006 after he was pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming a wildlife documentary
Another showed the family laughing as the chatted under a poster of their late father Steve ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Irwin who built the zoo in 1982.
Steve was tragically killed after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming a wildlife documentary when Bindi was eight.
Bindi and Chandler lit a single candle at the altar in Steve’s memory after marrying in a private ceremony at Australia Zoo in March this year.
Gone, but not forgotten: Bindi paid tribute to her late father at her wedding to Chandler in March by lighting a candle in his memory