RIP Steve

There was never any doubt that it was going to be a quintessentially Australian experience, and Steve Irwin's memorial service did not disappoint.

Five thousand people watched it in person and an estimated 300 million around the world tuned into live television coverage of the emotional farewell to the crocodile hunter.

Irwin's beloved Crocoseum, where he would entertain the crowds with his mix of showmanship and larrikin charm, was no place for the strong and silent yesterday morning.

Tough outback characters, mothers and children alike wept as the staff of Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland, joined film stars and politicians to pay tribute to one of the most famous Aussies on the planet.