Family and friends of Steve Irwin gathered on Queensland's Sunshine Coast tonight for a private funeral service for the Crocodile Hunter.
Mr Irwin, 44, died on Monday after he was pierced in the heart by a stingray's barb while filming a documentary off the far north Queensland coast, prompting disbelief and grief worldwide.
While a public memorial service will be held for the environmentalist and media personality within the next two weeks, his friend and manager John Stainton has insisted the funeral would be private.
"It will be private, there will be no announcements," Mr Stainton said.
But Nine News reported tonight that the Aussie icon's body was moved from a funeral home to his family's Australia Zoo wildlife park.
Flanked by two unmarked police cars, a white van believed to be carrying Mr Irwin's body arrived at the heavily-guarded zoo, which is off limits to the media.
Mr Stainton earlier today said Mr Irwin's wife Terri and their children Bindi, eight, and two-year-old Bob, would join other family and close friends at a private funeral "within the next couple of days".
"We are having a private family service in the next two or three days, by Monday," Mr Stainton said.
The family opted to decline offers from the federal and state government of a state funeral, with father Robert saying Mr Irwin was an "ordinary bloke".
In an interview with CNN talkshow host Larry King broadcast in America, Mr Stainton said a shattered Terri Irwin was trying her best to cope with the shock death.
"Terri's very very strong, she is carrying a lot of sad moments obviously but she is putting on a brave face for the kids' sake," Mr Stainton said.
Mr Stainton also said once the family had said their last goodbye to the wildlife warrior, they would shift their focus to planning the full public memorial.
The Irwin family is expected to meet with police as early as Monday to discuss the memorial and overcome challenges associated with the expected massive crowd.
Mr Stainton admitted Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium was being considered as a potential venue, with Australian music legend John Williamson expected to perform.
Meanwhile, a film crew secretly returned to the scene of Mr Irwin's death a day after the tragedy to complete the documentary he had been making.
The crew that unwittingly filmed the tragedy returned to the Queensland reef to complete Mr Irwin's final documentary, Ocean's Deadliest, Mr Stainton said.
It is unknown when the documentary, funded by US TV channel Animal Planet, might be aired.
Ironically, stingrays will not be featured in the documentary on dangerous animals.
Meanwhile, more than 12,5000 Queenslanders have lodged messages of sympathy for Mr Irwin's family through condolence books and the Queensland government websites.
The makeshift shrine at the entrance of Australia Zoo continues to attract flowers, condolence cards and other mementos.
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