Father’s Day is a time to reflect on the special bond between fathers and their children, and especially those bonds between father and daughter.
Whether they be tellers of dad jokes, battlers of monsters under the bed, in possession of the best cheese toastie recipe or able to heal hurts with a hug, our fathers can be some of the most important men in our lives. And sometimes, children grow up to walk in their father’s footsteps, like these Aussie women we know and love.
Bindi Irwin and Steve Irwin
Bindi Irwin has continued the conservation and advocacy work that her late father, Steve Irwin, became famous world-wide for. The beloved wildlife advocate runs Australia Zoo, along with brother Robert and mother Terri.
Not only does she do the same conservation work that Steve did, but the father and daughter pair also have similar stories of meeting their partners! Steve met Terri when she was a visitor to Australia Zoo and Bindi met her husband, former wakeboarder Chandler Powell, when he visited the zoo in 2013.
On Steve’s birthday in 2023, Bindi posted to Facebook:
“Thank you for instilling a love for all species, courage to follow my heart and determination to make a difference in the world for wildlife and wild places.”
Elly-May Barnes and Jimmy Barnes
Elly-May Barnes released her first album, No Good, in 2024. It was 40 years after her rock-and-roll star dad, Jimmy Barnes, released his first solo album, Bodyswerve.
“Like any father, I’m of course very proud of my girl … Her record is exceptional.”
Jimmy Barnes
Elly-May got a taste of the stage when the previous Cold Chisel frontman brought her along on tour as one of his backup singers when she was in her early twenties. She’s since created and performed her own solo shows and cabarets.
“We’re similar in a lot of ways,” Elly-May told The Weekly about the common values of father and daughter.
They’ve also both been published. Jimmy has released a memoir, a book of short stories, children’s books and a cookbook. Elly-May contributed to the non-fiction anthology We’ve Got This: Stories by Disabled Parents.
Jessica Fox, Noemie Fox and Richard Fox
Olympic gold medal-winning sisters, Jess Fox and Noemie Fox, represented the country at the Paris Olympics in 2024, helping Australia place fourth in the medal tally and amassing a new horde of fans. Jess took home two golds and Noemie achieved her first Olympic gold medal after winning a wildcard spot in the Games.
It follows a family legacy of Olympic representation. Their father, Richard, and their mother, Myriam, have both competed at the Olympics – Richard in 1992, and Myriam in 1992 and 1996 where she won a bronze medal for K1. The sisters “grew up playing along the riverbank”, Noemie told The Weekly in an interview ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“It’s pretty amazing to be able to share that with the people who you’re closest to.”
Noemie Fox
Miranda Otto, Gracie Otto and Barry Otto
Barry Otto is one of Australia’s most renowned actors, recognisable for his roles in Strictly Ballroom, Australia and The Dressmaker, among many others. And that love of the screen was passed between father and daughter. In fact, it was passed on to both of his daughters, actor Miranda Otto and director Gracie Otto.
Miranda Otto is most known for playing Éowyn in the Lord of the Rings films, and more recently, Zelda Spellman in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Gracie Otto was just 13 when Miranda was filming Lord of the Rings and she fell in love with directing instead.
“I loved the film and TV world. I just never really wanted to be an actor.”
Gracie Otto
In 2023 Miranda and Gracie collaborated on a project for the first time – TV thriller The Clearing. In 2024 they united again for Ladies in Black. “It was so great to work with Gracie again,” Miranda told The Weekly.
Michelle Payne and Paddy Payne
Michelle Payne was the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. But did you know that she grew up in a racing family? Her father, Paddy Payne, was a horse trainer in Ballarat. And furthermore, many of her siblings, of whom she’s the youngest, raced too.
When Michelle was 15, she entered her first race on a horse trained by her father. “She used to come into my bed and go to sleep holding my hand so I’d take her out [riding] in the morning,” Paddy told The Weekly back in 2019.
In 2019, a feature film about Michelle’s journey, Ride Like A Girl, was released. It was directed by Rachel Griffiths and starred Teresa Palmer as Michelle.
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