My daddy was my hero - from bindy RIP STEVE IRWIN

Steve Irwin's brave little daughter, Bindi, got a standing ovation after delivering a eulogy to her father today.

Watched by her mother, Terri, brother Bob, and about 5000 mourners at the Crocoseum at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, the eight-year-old spoke with remarkable clarity and assurance.

Smiling and reading her own tribute from a sheet of paper in front of an image of her dad, she said: "My daddy was my hero - he was always there for me when I needed him."

She traced the words on the paper with a finger.

"He listened to me and taught me so many things but most of all he was fun.

"I know that Daddy had an important job. He was working to change the world so everyone would love wildlife like he did."

She said her father built a hospital and bought land to give animals a safe place to live and she wanted to continue his legacy.

"I don't want Daddy's passion to ever end," she said. "I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did."

Bindi said she would miss her father.

"I have the best Daddy in the whole world and I will miss him every day," she said.

"When I see a crocodile I will always think of him and I know that Daddy made this zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals.

"Daddy made this place his whole life and now it's our turn to help Daddy."

Audience members too moved to speak

Thousands of memorial attendees filed out of the zoo shortly after the ceremony finished. Many were visibly upset and some were too moved to speak.

Michelle Wilson, 23, of Noosa said that the saddest part of the service was when Irwin's truck was driven out.

"He was a great inspiration - it was stunning and it was sad. I think Bindi did really well," she said.

Trish Whitehead of Caloundra said the memorial was "absolutely beautiful".

"It honoured his memory - Steve was a person with the power to change the world and he was doing that," she said.

"I don't think we'll see someone like that again.

"Bindi has the strength of her father - I thought it would be hard for her but she stood tall and stood proud."

Irwin's father, Bob, said afterwards that Terri was very pleased with the service and proud of the strength shown by Bindi.

"I was coping fairly well until John sang that song [True Blue] and then I fell apart," he said. "If our roles would have been reversed, Steve would have fallen apart too because he really loved that song."

Mr Irwin said Bindi had shown a lot of strength but he expected her to do well because of her media experience.

"I don't think Bindi has broken down as much as I would have expected. She's been a strong little girl and she's coping extremely well," he said.

PM tells of 'zest for life'

Earlier at the service Prime Minister John Howard paid tribute to the Crocodile Hunter's "zest for life".

"We gather in this special place that Steve created to celebrate the life of a remarkable man and a remarkable Australian," he said.

"Steve Irwin touched the hearts of Australians and touched the hearts of millions around the world in a very special way.

"He did that because he had that quality of being genuine, of being authentic, of being unconditional and having a great zest for life and, throughout his all-too-short life, he demonstrated a love for the two things that ought to matter more to all of us than anything else - his love of his family and his love of his country."

Mr Howard said Irwin brought to Australians and to the world an understanding of nature.

"He taught our children in particular to love and respect all creatures great and small," he said.

"In everything he did he was direct, he was genuine and oh so Australian and that is what we loved about him."

Russell Crowe's taped tribute

Before Mr Howard's comments, actor Russell Crowe's taped tribute was played.

"Your passing has suspended reality for all of us,'' Crowe said on the recording from New York. "It was way too soon and completely unfair on all accounts.

"I know, as humble as you always were, you would still be pleased to know that the world sends its love and people all over this planet have been grieving.

"We have all lost a friend, we have lost a champion and we are going to take some time to adjust to that."

Australian music star John Williamson sang True Blue, the Crocodile Hunter's favourite song, earning a standing ovation from the crowd.

Children's entertainers The Wiggles also paid tribute to Irwin, while Hollywood movie star Cameron Diaz sent a video tribute.

"People were just taken by him; they were just inspired and in awe of his energy and how he actually went about putting himself forward and what he represented," she said.

Every kid wanted to be him

"Every kid was in love with the idea of being able to be him."

In a taped interview, US talk show host Larry King said he loved having Irwin on his show, not just because it was "terrific" television but also because it impressed his two young sons, Chance and Cannon.

"I've interviewed presidents, kings and Oscar-winning movie stars," he said. "But once I talked to the real-life world famous Croc Hunter, well that made me a hero.

"Steve's connection with kids will be one of his enduring legacies," King said.

"He took them to the animal world, up close and personal.

"He gave them an education, as well as excitement."

He was fearless, says Costner

Movie legend Kevin Costner also paid tribute to Irwin in a taped message.

"His son and daughter and his wife can be very proud that not only was their father seemingly to the rest of the world fearless when he was around these animals," he said.

"Where he is the most fearless is that he let us see who he was and that's being brave in today's society because ... you show yourself to so many people willing to mimic you and mock you.

"He was unafraid of that because he knew his idea and his truth was a lot bigger than the aside joke."

Irwin's father, Bob, choked back tears as he briefly thanked well-wishers for their letters and gifts on behalf of the family.

"Please don't grieve for Steve - he's at peace now," he said.

"But I would like you to grieve for the animals - the animals have lost the best friend they ever had, and so have I.

"I was fortunate to just recently spend three or four weeks with Steve on crocodile research and he was the best he'd been for many years and I'll certainly treasure that."

Irwin messing around lightens mood

Lightening the mood, the crowd was shown humorous footage of Irwin falling out of boats, getting bitten by crocodiles and lizards, messing up his lines and being chased by cassowaries.

They were also shown clips of his journey "from the outback to Hollywood" and footage of him speaking about the death of his mother.

The crowd enthusiastically jumped to its feet and clapped along as Williamson sang a spirited version of Home Among the Gum Trees from the back of Irwin's ute, accompanied by Australia Zoo staff.

Clark Bunting, executive vice-president of Discovery Network, said he first met Irwin as the head of cable channel Animal Planet in the US.

He said when he saw a "very rough" video of the Crocodile Hunter's exploits, "his passion, sincerity and knowledge were obvious".

"I still remember thinking to myself, if this guy is for real we have to work with him," Mr Bunting said.

"Anyone who spent any time with Steve knew that above all else he was real."

Stars deliver messages

The one-hour special will be aired in the US next Wednesday and should reap huge ratings for ABC as Irwin, through his documentaries, was a much-loved TV star in America.