STEVE Irwin's widow Terri has been quietly selling off properties from a multimillion-dollar portfolio amassed by the star couple.
In a sign Australia Zoo has hit hard times, Mrs Irwin has placed several Sunshine Coast properties on the market, the Sunday Mail reports.
A number of zoo exhibits are on hold or delayed.
Mrs Irwin has admitted a horrific wet summer drastically affected visitor numbers and forced job cuts.
An investigation reveals Mrs Irwin has been trying to offload properties since late last year many at a loss.
Four directly border the zoo on Fraser and Bunney roads, Beerwah, and were originally purchased back when expansion plans were at full throttle.
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A sprawling 95ha parcel at Peachester, with views of the Glass House Mountains, is the largest for sale with a $1.25 million price tag.
Mrs Irwin has also sold a $1.3 million luxury property, at a $380,000 loss, next to the family's $3.22 million home at Minyama the Sunshine Coast's millionaire's row.
Beerwah Real estate agents, who have been sworn to secrecy, refused to reveal the identity of any of the properties' owners nor their addresses. However a record search reveals they were owned by Silverback Properties Pty Ltd or Rosette Properties Pty Ltd, whose sole owner is Terri Irwin.
At the time of his death in 2006, Steve Irwin and Terri had amassed a property portfolio estimated at $20 million.
The holdings included 33,730ha of former grazing land at St George, 1092ha at Emu Creek, southwest of Blackbutt, and 115ha at Landsborough.
After her husband's death, Terri finalised several deals, including 135,000ha at Wenlock on Cape York, which was refunded through a $6 million federal grant.
She also completed a land swap with the State Government last year, handing over a 200ha parcel at the foot of Mt Beerwah in exchange for state forest to the south of the zoo for its expansion.
But Steve's ambitious expansion plans are now on hold, including the partly-constructed Madagascar Island.
A rhino and three giraffes were bought for an Africa Exhibit, which was meant to be completed last year but has been delayed until December. And the grand vision of a $100 million open-range African Safari Resort, with animals roaming a plain, is on the backburner.
An Australia Zoo spokesperson said the zoo had been affected by the recent downturn in tourism. "In response to this, we have conducted an extensive and thorough review of the business and our operations, exploring all other avenues of cost savings right across the business," she said.
