Steve’s dad Bob LIVING IN EXILE

Simmering family tensions have left the Australia Zoo owner at a cold distance

Now she’s walking, Bindi Irwin’s daughter Grace has adorably taken to toddling around Australia Zoo, the Sunshine Coast tourist attraction she will likely one day inherit.

The 17-month-old goes gaga every time she sees one of the numerous pictures of her late grandfather Steve Irwin, who she knows as “Grandpa Crocodile”.

But one person the toddler never sees – either immortalised at the zoo or in person – is her great-grandfather and Australia Zoo founder, Bob.

Insiders reveal the property has “hardly any proof Bob ever existed”, despite the fact the conservationist built the zoo from the ground up, alongside Steve’s late mother Lyn. “There are pictures of Lyn, Steve and the kids everywhere, but you’d be hard pressed to find anything about Bob,” tells a source.

Now 83, Bob lives with his second wife Judy deep in the Queensland bush on a remote property he calls Camp Chilli, where he’s occasionally seen driving to the nearby town of Kingaroy for errands and appointments.

It’s a world away from the lavish and ultramodern Australia Zoo Terri and her children have built up in recent years.

In 1992, Bob willingly handed ownership of the park to Steve and his wife Terri, but stayed involved in the business. However, two years after Steve’s shock death, Bob abruptly left the park after reportedly falling out with Terri about how the business should be run.