While Steve Irwin became famous as the Croc hunter via US television most Australians had never heard of him. He really rose to prominence for Australians in the same way that Jimi Hendrix did to Americans, by becoming famouse somewhere else first.
With that in mind the real "barefoot bushman" Crocodile hunter as I was growing up and right through until Irwins "Opera W" style persona became known was
Malcolm Douglas He apparently started making doco's way back in the year of my birth (1964). He made very under produced honest film with very little hype.
Today he died after the vehicle he was driving hit a tree.
A true crusader for things that we now consider needing to be preserved before it was fashionable or cool to do so.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/23/3019731.htm
