Australia prepares for Irwin's public memorial
The only empty seat at Steve Irwin’s personal stadium at Zoo Australia tomorrow will be the one set aside for the late and hugely popular Crocodile Hunter, who will be bid farewell at a public memorial service to be broadcast around the world.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard is expected to be among the more than 5,000 people who will attend the service at the wildlife park Irwin owned in eastern Australia, though the entire country is expected to mark the event.
Flags on the Sydney Harbour Bridge were due to fly at half-mast, and giant television screens were being set up in Irwin’s home state of Queensland for people to watch the service.
More than 5,000 people were expected to cram the Crocoseum at Australia Zoo, the park owned by the Irwin family since 1970, tomorrow to give a public send-off to the popular and zany television entertainer and conservationist.
Free tickets were given away to the show.
Irwin, 44, was killed Sept. 4 when the barb from a stingray pierced his chest while he was filming for a TV show on the Great Barrier Reef.
His family held a private funeral service for him on September 9 at Australia Zoo.
His death set off an unprecedented outpouring of grief.
