Irwin put in quarantine
RETURNING Australians and tourists will no longer see Steve Irwin smiling down at them from billboards when they arrive at the nation's airports.
As a sign of respect to the Irwin family, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service withdrew, or recalled, any campaign material that featured the quirky Crocodile Hunter throughout Australia and abroad immediately after his death.
"We took down all the light boxes (billboards) in the airport out of respect for the Irwin family,'' an AQIS spokeswoman said.
No more ads ... Steve Irwin's image has been removed by quarantine chiefs.
But while the family continues to mourn, Irwin's widow Terri is determined to return to the stage at Australia Zoo by Christmas.
Zoo director Wes Mannion said yesterday: "Come Christmas both me and Terri will be getting in the Crocoseum and doing the shows.'
"We have to do that because if we didn't Steve would be quite upset about that, I'm sure.''
Irwin, 44, was killed when a stingray barb pierced his chest in a freak accident off the north Queensland coast on September 4.
A public memorial service was held for him at the Crocoseum on September 20.
Mr Mannion said it was up to the Irwins' eight-year-old daughter Bindi to decide when she would resume her own performances at the zoo.
"She's her own little girl and she makes her own decisions to a point,'' he said.
Mr Mannion said visitors were still flocking to the zoo - which is keeping Iriwn pictures on its billboards - at Beerwah on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, despite it missing its star attraction.
"I've just been amazed at just how great everyone has been that's been coming to the zoo,'' he said.
"The zoo has been going excellent, they're getting photos of Steve's picture.
"They're really embracing the man that he was, even though he's no longer here in person, just here in spirit.''