While Scotland and wallabies is not a combination you’d initially think of, there is a magical place in Loch Lomond, Wallaby Island, that is home to a wild colony of the adorable Australian macropods. And, surprisingly, the island is not that widely spoken about and is not swarming with visitors (yet).
Inchconnachan Island, also known as the Wallaby Island by the locals, is a 103-acre island located within the freshwaters of Loch Lomond.
The island was owned by Clan Colquhoun until 2021, with Countess Fiona Colquhoun having fallen in love with the hidden oasis in the early twentieth century. She was also a powerboating enthusiast, and the mid-loch island was the perfect spot for the hobby. Known as a “quirky character”, the Countess of Arran introduced a colony of red-necked wallabies to Inchconnachan Island in the 1940s, turning it into the (adorable) Wallaby Island.
The red-necked wallabies are smaller than the kangaroos we all know and love, native to eastern Australia and Tasmania. Over the years, the exotic animals have adapted to the unpredictable Scottish climate, and have even seen hopping across the frozen loch during cold snaps.
How to visit Wallaby Island
Like most islands on Loch Lomond, Inchconnachan Island is inaccessible by public ferry or boat. As a result, visitors have to hire private boats, kayaks, paddleboards or canoes from the nearby village of Luss to get the chance to set foot on Wallaby Island.
Once there, adventurers can choose to stay overnight and wild camp on the island, or have one of the most unique day trips in the UK. In Scotland, it is legal to camp on most unenclosed land as long as campers leave the site as they found it.
Wallaby Island is quite flat, with some trails uncovering hidden, pristine beaches overlooking the loch and its bonnie shores, and, of course, the cute red-necked marsupials. However, visitors are advised to remember the wallabies on the island are wild animals, and should be treated as such – keeping a distance from the wallabies and respecting their natural habitat is crucial.
A holiday lodge is set to be built on Inchconnachan Island
Plans to build a holiday lodge on Inchconnachan Island have been approved at the start of 2025, and is seen as quite controversial by wildlife charities and the public. In 2022, the plan received over 100,000 signatures to halt the planning permissions, but it has been proven unsuccessful.
However, a spokesperson for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority advised that the planning permission “will have no implications for the wallabies on the island.”
The planning permission has been granted to Scottish TV and radio presenter Kirsty Young, who will be building a holiday lodge on the island. Wallaby Island will be getting a new short-stay holiday rental with a new boathouse and a jetty.
This will result in the old timber bungalow owned by Lady Arran being demolished, as well as “a small loss in natural habitat”. However, a new natural wet woodland is set to be created during the works, improving the biodiversity of the island.