Family says private farewell

A close friend said a service was held at the Caloundra Gregson and Weight funeral home chapel and crematorium at 2pm.

It is believed the service was a prelude to Irwin being buried at his beloved Australia Zoo.

The friend said Caloundra City Council officials this week gave the Irwin family permission to bury Irwin on family land near Australia Zoo.

"Yesterday's service was a service for family and good friends, people who were close to Steve in recent years," the friend said.

"The council gave the family permission to bury Steve at the zoo and we think they're going to erect a monument there so visitors can continue to pay their respects."

TV news reports last night speculated that Irwin's body would be laid to rest at Australia Zoo, either last night at a dusk service or after a dawn service today.

Channel 9 showed helicopter footage of a white van with two police escort cars seen entering the zoo, suggesting that the vehicle was carrying the body of Irwin.

On Friday, the Crocodile Hunter's manager John Stainton told US TV network CNN: "We are having a private family service in the next two or three days, by Monday.

Friends said Irwin had often expressed his desire to be buried at the zoo but family representatives would not confirm if the service had taken place.

On Thursday, Irwin's father Robert Irwin declined an offer of a state funeral.

He pledged that a public memorial service would be held in the next fortnight, possibly at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

Mr Stainton said Irwin's children were handling their father's death "really well" thanks to the strength of their mother, Terri.

A flood of tributes continued to arrive at Australia Zoo yesterday.