Crocodile Hunter’s daughter Bindi Irwin and her Florida husband have their first baby
The Irwins have a new wildlife warrior in the family. And Crikey, she’s a cutie.
Meet Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, granddaughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. The 7-pound, 7-ounce baby girl was born Thursday afternoon in Australia to firsttime parents wildlife conservationist Bindi Irwin, 22, and former professional wakeboarder Chandler Powell, 24. Bindi is also the 2015 winner of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”
Grace was named after her mom’s great-grandmother and relatives in Powell’s family dating back to the 1700s. The baby is practically Australian royalty (the Irwins have even met Prince Charles) though she has strong Florida ties through her dad.
He’s from Seffner, near Tampa, and attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Bindi and Powell met in 2013 — Bindi was his tour guide during a visit to her family’s zoo in Queensland, Australia — and he relocated in 2018 to live with them and work at the zoo. His family still lives in the Sunshine State.
After waiting nine months for their baby girl to arrive,
Powell says meeting her was the best moment of his life.
Grace was born on the couple’s wedding anniversary. Her middle name “Warrior Irwin” is a tribute to Steve and his “legacy as most incredible Wildlife Warrior,” Bindi wrote on Instagram Friday.
Bindi’s father, nicknamed “The Crocodile Hunter,” died after a rogue attack by a stingray in 2006.
In introducing her newborn daughter, Bindi posted on Instagram:
“March 25, 2021. Celebrating the two loves of my life. Happy first wedding anniversary to my sweetheart husband and day of birth to our beautiful daughter,” Bindi wrote. “Our graceful warrior is the most beautiful light . ... There are no words to describe the infinite amount of love in our hearts for our sweet baby girl. She chose the perfect day to be born and we feel tremendously blessed.”
The pair were married last year in a private ceremony at Australia Zoo after the pandemic forced them to scrap all of their plans for a large April wedding. Instead, they held a private ceremony on March 25 with four guests: Bindi’s younger brother, Robert Irwin, her mom, Terri Irwin, and their late father’s best friend, Wes Mannion.
The wedding was later aired as a special episode of their Animal Planet show, “Crikey! It’s the Irwins.”
Bindi’s younger brother says it’s time for the “uncle adventures” to begin.
We also won’t be surprised if Grace becomes the model for Australia Zoo’s new “Baby Wildlife Warrior” clothing line. She’ll likely also make appearances on the family’s TV show as she learns to care for the crocodiles, birds and other animals that make Australia Zoo home.
Maybe a trip to Florida is in the near future. Bindi did make a sweet Instagram post earlier this month for her in-laws’ anniversary and said she can’t wait to be reunited again.
Michelle Marchante: 305-376-2708, @TweetMichelleM