In a Glasgow postcode, just a short drive from the city centre, there exists an island home to a colony of wallabies. And no, we're not on the wind up.
Several of the cute red-necked marsupials can occasionally be seen on Inchconnachan, G63 OJG, after they were introduced to Loch Lomond by Lady Arran Colquhoun in the 1940s. 'Wallaby Island' has been a haven for the animals, which look like mini kangaroos, native to Australia and New Guinea, ever since.
And earlier this month, the private island was put up for sale, for a cool 500,000.
Described as 'extremely interesting' and 'eccentric', Lady Arran - who was also dubbed as the 'fastest granny on water' given her love for power boats - had a fondness for exotic animals including llamas and alpacas.
Lady Arran, who grew up on the banks of Loch Lomond, married Sir Arthur Gore in 1937 and the couple resided down south in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.
But during World War II, she opted to move some of her wallabies to Inchconnachan, the site of her summer holiday home. And descendants of the colony still live on the island almost 80 years later.
However the existence of wallabies on the islet has been met with some resistance. Many believe they pose a threat to native grouse on Inchconnachan and there have been calls for the wallabies to be culled.
Fears for their future grew in 2017 when a dead wallaby, which had been skinned, washed up on a nearby beach. There were reports of the animals being 'over-run' by campers in the same year, while there has been speculation on their dwindling population in recent years.
Sightings have become more rare with some believing the animals may have made their way to other nearby islands to avoid the crowds.
Recent unconfirmed estimates suggest there are around 60 wallabies still living on Inchconnachan.
To those who know about their rather unusual home, some 9,000+ miles from Australia, the creatures remain a draw for tourists and visitors to Loch Lomond.
But how do you see them?
There is no passenger ferry service to the island, however you can hire a kayak or a boat on the Loch and park up at the jetty or beach on the island.
However, wallabies are considered shy, timid animals, with the best time to spot them at dawn or dusk.
We would recommend you take extreme care if making the trip out to Inchconnachan independently on the water, while also advising you respect the animals' space - they have been able to call the island 'home' for almost eight decades, and the hope for many, including no doubt the late Lady Arran, is that they continue to find a safe haven there for many more decades to come.
The abandoned house of Lady Arran Colquhoun can also be seen on the island, with recent visitors - who travelled by kayak - recounting their altogether "eerie" trip to the home, online.
Colourful character Lady Colquhoun passed away in 2013, aged 94, but not before exploring her love for the water further. In 1979, she broke a world record in her powerboat on Lake Windermere - the boat, included a nod to her love for Scotland and was named 'Skean-Dhu'.
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In her obituary article column in the Telegraph, it was reported an onlooker had said: "The Lady only has two speeds flat out, and stop!" Asked why she did it, she simply replied: "For Scotland".
You can see the full sale listing for Inchconnachanhere
Go here to read the rest:
The Loch Lomond island home to a colony of wallabies - Glasgow Live
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