Inchconnachan facts for kids
| Gaelic name | Innis Chonachain |
|---|---|
| Meaning of name | The Colquhoun's Island |
| OS grid reference | NS375918 |
| Coordinates | 56°05′28″N 4°36′43″W / 56.091°N 4.612°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Loch Lomond |
| Area | 35 ha |
| Area rank | (Freshwater: 12) |
| Highest elevation | 50 m |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Argyll and Bute |
| Demographics | |
| Population | ~60 Wallabies |
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Inchconnachan (Innis Chonachain in Gaelic, meaning 'The Colquhoun's Island') is an island in Loch Lomond in Scotland, in the Trossachs National Park. It is accessible by boat from the village of Luss on the south side of the Loch.
The island is uninhabited apart from a holiday home: it is an Area of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.
Wallabies
Wallabies, of the species Macropus rufogriseus (Red-necked Wallaby), were introduced by Lady Colquhoun in the 1940s, and still roam wild. It is one of the very few places outside Australia which has a viable population of wallabies.
More recently, there has been great controversy over them, and it has been suggested that they should be culled, or eradicated, as they supposedly threaten the capercaillie population. The cull has proven controversial, as some tourists visit the area specifically to see them, and because some animal rights activists consider it cruel. Iain Sheves, factor for Luss Estates, has said,
- "If it comes down a decision between rare native species, which are perhaps better served by being on an island because of predation issues, and a non indigenous population of creatures which shouldn’t really be there then we’ve got to go with the native species every time.
- "I would hope that people come to Scotland to see native wildlife and habitats rather than a quirk of history.
- "Ultimately, we all have a responsibility to try and promote and protect our native wildlife. To disregard that in order to maintain a tourist oddity is not the right thing to do."
Sale
On 9 July 2020, Inchconnachan Island was put up for sale by the Colquhoun family with a price tag of offers over £500,000.
The sale included a derelict colonial-style timber bungalow dating from the 1920s, built for the tea merchant Admiral Sullivan, which was later the holiday home of the family of Lady Arran Colquhoun. Planning consent and detailed architectural drawings are in place to replace the bungalow with a new four-bedroom lodge and one-bedroom warden's house, along with a boat house and pier.
