Time spent down south, enjoying the serene beauty of the Apple Isle, was just what Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell needed after navigating a trying few months that, sources claim, tested their almost six-year marriage like never before.
New Idea spotted the couple arriving at the airport in Hobart, Tasmania, preparing to fly home to Queensland after their mini-break. They’d spent the last few days quietly exploring with their daughter Grace, four, with lots of hikes and beach time on the itinerary.
New Idea understands the trip couldn’t have come at a better time. Chandler, 29, reportedly ended last year feeling “exhausted” and like he was playing second fiddle to his brother-in-law Robert, who was gallivanting around the globe for his showbiz career.
Indeed, Chandler had to leave his beloved Australia Zoo for three months while he, Bindi, 27, Grace and matriarch Terri, 61, relocated to the US to support Robert as he competed on Dancing with the Stars. Robert, 22, then jetted straight to South Africa to film I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.
“Chandler has been working nonstop to keep the zoo going,” shares a source. “He’s exhausted and feels like he puts in the blood, sweat and tears back home to keep [Steve’s] legacy alive.
“Chandler busts his gut day in, day out and is so much more involved than a lot of people might realise.
“When staff have issues or concerns he’s always there to soothe things over and provide support, plus he’s hands-on with even the most menial tasks and an absolute rock to everyone involved in the organisation.
“Sometimes he feels like Robert has gone a little too ‘Hollywood’, although Robert certainly doesn’t see it that way.”
Caught in the middle is Bindi, with a source saying she was feeling the alleged tension between her husband and brother in “a big way”.
“It’s why she booked the [Tasmania] trip,” says the source. “Chandler finally got to switch off for the first time in months. It was very much needed.
“Bindi’s trying not to put too much energy or intensity into the situation [with Robert] and is praying that it solves itself organically. And she’s got every reason to be optimistic, since there’s ultimately so much love and respect between Chandler and Robert.
“Like all relatives, they have their ups and downs. This break has already done Chandler the world of good, and that’s great news for the whole family.”
