Australians paid tribute to a “fierce ambassador with a challenging personality”, after the star of the blockbuster classic Crocodile Dundee died aged 90.

Burt, a “one of a kind” five-metre-long saltwater crocodile, passed away in Darwin over the weekend. The grumpy, 700kg reptile was best known for its brief but iconic role in the 1980s film, later launching a new career as a psychic.

Crocosauraus Cove, the crocodile farm where Burt spent the final 20 years of its life, said its life story was one of “strength [and] resilience”.

“Known for his independent nature, Burt was a confirmed bachelor – an attitude he made clear during his earlier years at a crocodile farm,” the herpetarium posted on Instagram.

“His fiery temperament earned him the respect of his caretakers and visitors alike, as he embodied the raw and untamed spirit of the saltwater crocodile. Burt was truly one of a kind.”

Released in 1986, Crocodile Dundee remains Australia’s highest-grossing film of all time. It tells the story of a journalist from New York, played by Linda Kozlowski, who travelled to outback Australia on the hunt for an eccentric crocodile hunter Mick Dundee, played by Paul Hogan.

In a central scene, Dundee rescues the journalist from the clutches of the massive crocodile, which has gripped her water bottle and threatens to reel her into its jaws. The comedy later follows the pair as they travel to New York.

Penny Priest, the chief executive of Crocosaurus Cove, told ABC that Burt was scouted a few years after it was captured from the wild, but always had Hollywood in its blood, as it was named after the American actor Burt Reynolds.