A hidden gem in Scotland is graced by the company of these adorable animals, known as wallabies. Originally from Australia, they’ve even made up their own little island, known as ‘Wallaby Island’
Have you ever heard about an island in the UK where Australian wallabies roam free? Well, it exists. Located in Inchconnachan Island, these beautiful creatures are known to be there – and you can visit them. Surrounded by the fresh water of Loch Lomond, in Scotland, this place full of wallabies has unofficially been ‘baptised’ as Wallaby Island.
The colony was introduced to the island in the 1940s by the Countess of Arran. Native to Australia, the wallabies have survived on the Scottish island by eating oak, holly and birch trees. According to The Sun, there isn’t a confirmed number of these animals on the island. Nonetheless, they have adapted themselves to the Scottish climate for 85 years.
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How to visit ‘Wallaby Island’
Just like the majority of islands on Loch Lomond, Inchconnachan Island is not accessible by public ferry or boat. Visitors can only access the island by hiring private boats, kayaks, canoes or paddleboards from the nearby village of Luss. Don’t worry, there isn’t an entry fee.
Once there, visitors have the opportunity to stay the night by camping on the island. According to Secret Glasgow, in Scotland, it’s legal to camp on most unenclosed land, as long as people leave it as they found it.
The picturesque scenes promise to offer locals and visitors an unforgettable experience, with many outdoor activities and beaches overlooking the shores. Still, people should also be careful around wallabies, keeping a safe distance and respecting their space.
Good news is that in the years to come, Wallaby Island could expand tourism by building a holiday home. In 2020, Scottish TV and radio presenter Kristy Young and her husband bought the island from its previous owners, Clan Colquhoun.
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In January 2025, the couple got granted permission to build a holiday lodge, the BBC wrote. However, their plans didn’t receive a positive welcome from the public, who collected over 100,000 signatures through an online petition against any work on the island.
A spokesperson for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority revealed that the plan was to build a holiday lodge for short-stay rentals, including a new boathouse and a jetty for easier access to the island.
Promising that the construction “will have no implications for the wallabies on the island”, the construction will lead to the old timber bungalow getting demolished, as well as the addition of a natural wet woodland to improve the biodiversity of Inchconnachan Island.