Many fans are curious about Steve Irwin's financial success in April 2026. Our team analyzed the latest data to provide a clear picture of their income.

What Was Steve Irwin's Net Worth?

Known by his fans as "The Crocodile Hunter," Irwin gained a global following with his gripping wildlife television shows. He was especially knowledgeable about crocodiles and other reptiles, having grown up around them as a child.

In July 2022, the Irwin family opened The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, a boutique hotel next door to the Australia Zoo. Guests at the lodge have unlimited access to the zoo and free shuttle service back and forth.

Steve and Teri's biggest asset (and passion) was the 750-acre Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. The zoo was actually founded by Steve's parents, Bob and Lyn Irwin, in 1970. Teri inherited the zoo upon Steve's death.

Steve Irwin was an Australian wildlife expert, conservationist, and television personality who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death in 2006. However, as we detail in the next section below, much of his net worth was made up of illiquid real estate assets, and Steve famously poured nearly all of his income into conservation projects, land acquisitions, and the continued maintenance of Australia Zoo.

In the years after Steve's death, Teri sold several non-essential properties to help stabilize the family's finances and keep the zoo afloat. These included a luxury waterfront home in Minyama that she offloaded at a $380,000 loss, a 95-hectare rural parcel in Peachester listed for $1.25 million, and multiple undeveloped lots bordering the zoo that had originally been purchased for future expansion. She also completed a strategic land swap with the Queensland government, trading 200 hectares near Mt. Beerwah for more zoo-adjacent forest land better suited for exhibits. While Terri parted with these peripheral assets, she steadfastly held onto all of the family's conservation reserves—including a 118,000-acre sanctuary in the Brigalow Belt and the 135,000-hectare Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve on Cape York—ensuring Steve's conservation legacy remained intact.

In 2024, an Australian Financial Review profile noted that the Irwins' landholdings, primarily in Queensland, were conservatively estimated to be worth at least $25 million.

He became a worldwide phenomenon with the success of his TV series "The Crocodile Hunter," which debuted in 1996 and ran until 2007. Along with his wife, Terri, Steve later went on to host shows like "Croc Files," "The Crocodile Hunter Diaries," and "New Breed Vets." Outside of his television exploits, Irwin co-owned and operated the Australia Zoo with his wife. The zoo was initially founded by Steve's parents.

In 2006, Irwin died in an accident while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. While swimming, he was fatally pierced in the chest by a short-tailed stingray. News of his passing was met by grieving fans around the world. A number of organizations and high-profile celebrities paid tribute to Irwin, and various zoos, parks, and streets now carry his name. His wife and two children continue to operate the Australia Zoo, in Beerwah, Queensland, that Steve's parents established in the 1970s.

In a July 2024 interview with a publication called Australian Financial Review, Teri revealed that Steve's death actually left the family in a "precarious" financial position. Despite being one of the most famous people in the world at the time of his death, Teri revealed that Steve poured all of the money he ever earned back into conservation projects and into maintaining the Australia Zoo. The primary benefit Teri received was a single life insurance policy worth $200,000, which apparently was not enough to cover payroll at the zoo. Teri also revealed that Steve had previously set up a 10-year trust to benefit his children, ensuring that royalties and income from his likeness would go to them. Furthermore, upon Teri's death, Robert and Bindi will inherit ownership of Australia Zoo. In 2008, it was rumored that Teri was in talks to sell Australia Zoo to Animal Planet for a significant sum and then help establish a Disney-style wildlife theme park. Teri denied the rumors at the time.

Ultimately, Steve Irwin's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.