Attenborough talks of love of Australia

Sir David Attenborough has told of his love of Australia and appreciation of the late Steve Irwin as he nears the end of his impressive career as a nature documentary maker.

During his extraordinary 54 years investigating animals and the natural world, Attenborough says his trips Down Under have been some of his most memorable.

Speaking from the UK, Attenborough said he had a great affection with Australia - particularly the Northern Territory.

"I love the cool south because it's so like where I come from, but I adore the desert simply because of that clean air and clean landscape - a severity of beauty," Attenborough said.

"I suppose most of all I love the northern part of Australia - particularly the area that's now called Kakadu."

Attenborough said one of his fondest memories was spending several months in Kakadu about 40 years ago and being almost the only white person there.

"Wonderful lagoons with blue water lilies and flocks of geese, parrots - it's such a wonderful, wonderful area and I adore going there," Attenborough said.

There are not many places in the world Attenborough hasn't visited, but he said he regretted not going to the Bungle Bungles in Western Australia and to Tibet.

"It's got the most fantastic photographs of it and I've never been there," Attenborough said of the Bungle Bungles.

"And I really would love to go but I don't suppose I would fit it in."

Attenborough is credited with pioneering nature documentaries and has seen the industry grow since his first series Zoo Quest was broadcast on the BBC in 1954.

Attenborough turns 82 on May 8 and, inevitably, is slowing down. He says he can't "climb trees any more".

His most recent series Life in Cold Blood, currently airing on the Nine Network, was being considered his last.

But Attenborough insists he's not finished yet, and he is planning a series about evolution.

He also paid tribute to Australia's Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, killed in 2006 by a stingray barb to the chest.

"Steve Irwin spent a lot of his time and money in nature protection and calling people's attentions to the danger the natural world is in, so all credit to him," Attenborough said.

"He did it in a way that I wouldn't do it, in fact he did it in a way that I couldn't do it.

"I don't have his experience in handling crocodiles, and I wouldn't possibly dream of handling snakes in the way that he did."

Attenborough says the nature documentary series industry is in great shape and he hopes his work continues, especially with the onset of global warming.

"I hope it continues, for some people don't see the actual world of life at all, maybe a pigeon or a sparrow, they are otherwise cut off from the natural world - natural history programs are their only link to seeing what the wild world is like," he said.

Life in Cold Blood airs on Nine Network at 7.30pm on Mondays.