Meet the man making Bob and Bindi smile again! "Briano" has become a father figure for the Croc Hunter’s kids.

A knockabout bloke whose idea of a good time is surfing or jumping on the back of a croc is making the Irwins smile again – especially young wildlife warrior Robert.

With his father, the late Steve Irwin, not around to guide him, and his granddad Bob no longer a big part of his life, Robert has found a father figure in Brian Coulter. The Australia Zoo employee, known as “Briano”, was a great mate of Steve and loves to spend time with six-year-old Robert.

“It’s great to see Briano take little Robert under his wing … he is almost like a father figure to him. All the staff at Australia Zoo love to fuss over Robert and Bindi, but Briano’s relationship with Robert is just that little extra special,” says an insider at Australia Zoo.

“Robert has a special relationship with a lot of the men at the zoo, but none more so than Briano. Robert probably sees a lot of his dad in him.”

Just like Steve, Brian is a fearless croc hunter and deep-sea diver. Steve’s widow, Terri Irwin, has enormous respect for him, and regards Brian and his wife, Kate, who also works at the zoo, as family.