Robert Irwin Reflects on His Father's Legacy and Embracing Aussie Spirit on 'Dancing With the Stars'

"Robert Irwin spent three weeks leading up to his Dancing With the Stars debut far from the glitzy Hollywood dance floor. He was covered in mud in the Australian bush on Cape York Peninsula, sleeping on a tent floor surrounded by wildlife, and of course, catching crocodiles. "That's the great part of getting to live here," the 21-year-old Australian told Travel + Leisure. "It's so easy to get out in the middle of nowhere and just forget everything. You feel like you're part of something so much bigger than yourself.""

""It is where I feel his energy and his passion more than anywhere else," said Irwin. The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve there protects 35 different ecosystems across 330,000 acres. "It's a real privilege to get to spend time there," the proud son said ahead of the trip. "But then I leave straight from the crocodile research expedition-neck-deep in mud-and fly directly to Hollywood for Dancing with the Stars! It's going to be a bit of a culture shock.""

Robert Irwin spent several weeks conducting crocodile research on Cape York Peninsula, camping in the Australian bush and sleeping on a tent floor surrounded by wildlife. He described feeling deeply connected to the area where his late father worked, saying he senses his father's energy and passion there. The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve protects 35 ecosystems across 330,000 acres. Irwin departed the expedition covered in mud and flew directly to Hollywood to compete on Dancing With the Stars. He noted Australian dance culture as passionate though less refined and cited sister Bindi's advice to make the performance his own.

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