Bindi Irwin's heart beats for protecting our beautiful planet

This wildlife warrior is continuing her family legacy of protecting the Earth. Here are her top Australian outdoor picks, from the Dinosaur Trail to snorkelling at Lady Elliot Island.

Some people love nature; Bindi Irwin lives it.

"My life revolves around wildlife and conservation," says Irwin, a passionate conservationist and zookeeper at Australia Zoo, where she lives with her husband and their daughter, Grace. "I have spent my whole life, from my earliest memories, around animals. My heart beats for protecting our beautiful Mother Earth."

Irwin has always known she would carry on the work begun by her legendary parents, Terri and the late Steve "the Crocodile Hunter" Irwin. "It is the most remarkable feeling to get to carry on Dad’s legacy while also forging my own path in the world of conservation," she says. "Now as a mother to our beautiful daughter Grace, I feel the importance of caring for our world more than ever."

One of Irwin's favourite ways to care for the world – specifically, her beloved home country of Australia – is to appreciate its magnificent natural landscapes. As the sixth largest country in the world, Australia's terrain ranges from vast deserts to snowcapped peaks to ancient rainforests and meandering rivers. Its surrounding oceans teem with coral reefs, which are rich with sea life.

"Australia is truly my favourite place in the world," says Irwin. "We have such a diverse country with so many different environments to explore. Whether you are looking for a gorgeous city experience or a chance to explore the outback, there is something beautiful everywhere you look!"

Here are Bindi Irwin's top five adventures in the great Australian outdoors. 

Irwin is surrounded by thousands of live animals each day at Australia Zoo, but she loves Australia's extinct species as well. Various dinosaur species have been uncovered on the continent, dating to the Cretaceous and Jurassic eras. You can learn all about them on Queensland's Dinosaur Trail.

"When my brother [conservationist and photographer Robert Irwin] was little, he adored learning about palaeontology," says Irwin. "My gorgeous mum would take us on yearly adventures to [the trail]."

The Dinosaur Trail is a 229km driving route that traces Queensland's "outback triangle", linking the towns of Richmond, Winton and Hughenden; home to some of the world's best-preserved fossils. Visitors can drive through the unforgettable red-earth landscape of the Australian outback to hit various "stops" where they can witness evidence of dinosaur stampedes, embark on dinosaur digs and learn how to unearth their own specimens at a fossil lab.

"It takes you on a fascinating adventure, unlocking the secrets of our prehistoric past," says Irwin. "My best advice is to rent a good 4WD or pack up your own and make this a memorable road trip. Lark Quarry [Conservation Park], Australian Age of Dinosaurs [Museum], Porcupine Gorge and Kronosaurus Korner [Marine Fossil Museum] are so much fun."

Website: https://australiasdinosaurtrail.com.au/

Instagram: @australiasdinosaurtrail

"I am reminded regularly that Australian fauna is some of the most unusual and fabulous in the world," says Irwin, whose conservation initiatives include endangered species breeding programmes at Australia Zoo and Wildlife Warriors, a non-profit begun by her parents to involve people in protecting threatened wildlife. "I love that you can be hiking in Tasmania and see a platypus swimming in the stream, or watching the sunset over the outback while emus are running in the distance."

Irwin's pick for unique Aussie wildlife experiences is Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, home to Tasmania's stunning Cradle Mountain, and one of the five parks that make up the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. "We've been visiting [it] my entire life," she says. "The hikes here are utterly breathtaking and there are adorable native Aussie animals just waiting to say 'g'day'."

Cradle Mountan-Lake St Clair National Park protects 1,614 sq km of rainforests, glacial lakes, snow-capped mountains and rugged alpine moorland. Visitors can arrange to stay overnight in the park's rustic Waldheim cabins as they tackle its network of trails, like the famous 80km Overland Track that stretches from Cradle Mountain to the glacial Lake St Clair; Australia's deepest lake. As you explore, keep an eye out for platypus, black currawong, carnivorous marsupials like quolls and Tasmanian devils at the park's Tasmanian Devil breeding and conservation sanctuary, and Irwin's favourite, the echidna. "This national park is beautiful any time of year and I swear the air smells sweet," says Irwin. "It’s so pristine here."

Website: https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/cradle-mountain

Address (Visitors' Centre): 4057 Cradle Mountain Road Cradle Mountain TAS 7310

Phone: 03 6492 1100

Instagram: @tasmaniaparks

3. Best for a luxury nature-oriented getaway: Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania

"Just google this area and your jaw will hit the floor," says Irwin. "It’s stunning and if you're really wanting a five-star luxury experience, this is your place."

Australia's great outdoors tends to conjure up images of camping in the desolate outback, shaded by russet-coloured rocks. But at Saffire Freycinet, the Australian outdoors equals glamour. Nestled in the heart of Tasmania's Freycinet National Park, the resort's luxury suites, world-class restaurants and spas are the perfect way to recharge after partaking in its curated itineraries. Choose from experiences like connecting to Country with an Indigenous guide or learning the fundamentals of beekeeping, all in a coastal oasis against the stunning backdrop of The Hazards; the Freycinet Peninsula's mountain range that seems to glow pink thanks to its famous red and pink granite formations.

"With remarkable tours and amazing hikes all around, I can say without a doubt that this combines Aussie wilderness and luxury tourism seamlessly," says Irwin. "I can definitely see how it would be perfect for a couple’s retreat, but they are also really lovely with kids and there is so much to see no matter your age."

Website: http://saffire-freycinet.com.au/

Address: 2352 Coles Bay Rd, Coles Bay TAS 7215, Australia

Phone: +61362567888

Instagram: @saffirefreycinet

4. Best view: Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, New South Wales

For a true Aussie outdoor experience that thrills first-timers and locals alike, Irwin recommends the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge climb. "I have climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge once with my mum and a second time with my husband," she says. "If you want a bucket list moment and unreal photos to show your friends and family, this is it. When our daughter is older, we're definitely going to take her on this climb."

You'll gasp in awe when you climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge's 134m-high arches and take in the 360-degree views of the city, gazing down at the stiff white wings of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour below. There are a variety of climb experiences, ranging from the "Classic" climb to the top of the bridge's upper arch, to the "Burrawa" climb where you scale to the summit with a First Nations storyteller as your guide and see Sydney from an Aboriginal perspective.

"I've lived in Australia my entire life, and I'd gladly be a tourist climbing the Harbour Bridge any day," proclaims Irwin. "With some of the best views in Sydney, this climb really made my heart soar."

Website: www.bridgeclimb.com

Address: Eora Country, 3 Cumberland St, The Rocks NSW 2000

Phone: +61 8274 7777

Instagram: @bridgeclimb

5. Best for experiencing Australia's underwater world: Lady Elliot Island, The Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island

Australia's three surrounding oceans brim with lifeforms as unique as the creatures that hop and slither across its lands, from technicolour clownfish to dugongs. Visiting the Great Barrier Reef – the largest coral reef system in the world – is doubtlessly Australia's most thrilling aquatic experience.

But "if you want to truly immerse yourself in the Great Barrier Reef, you have to stay at Lady Elliot Island [Eco Resort]," says Irwin. "My mum and dad used to take us there to snorkel and dive. Now taking Grace here, it feels like a full-circle moment."

Lady Elliot Island, a coral cay just off the Great Barrier Reef's southern tip, is a diver's paradise thanks to the 1,200 species of sea life that thrive in its waters. "The Gash family are the caretakers of the island and have done a brilliant job creating an ecotourism destination," says Irwin. "From bird-watching to swimming with manta rays, turtles and every fish imaginable, I have an enormous love for this island and the reef around it."

Irwin recalls her favourite Australian marine experience: "I was about three years old," she says. "My parents were filming a documentary, and we were travelling by boat to some truly phenomenal, remote places. One evening, while I was swimming in the ocean with my dad, a pod of dolphins swam right up to us and begin jumping over our heads. I was holding onto my dad’s shoulders. The dolphins even brought their babies to come see us." She adds: "It’s those moments in childhood that really shape your future in life."

Website: https://greatbarrierreef.org/

Instagram: @greatbarrierreeffoundation

BBC Travel's The SpeciaList is a series of guides to popular and emerging destinations around the world, as seen through the eyes of local experts and tastemakers.

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