It seems there is no need to travel halfway across the globe to sample the delights of Australia – it is all here in our backyard apparently.

The Isle of Man has been likened to the country in a national newspaper feature which compares areas of the UK with more exotic locations in other parts of the globe.

In the article published by the Daily Mirror, the Isle of Harris has been compared to the Caribbean due to its blue crystal clear waters while the sea stacks of the Isle of Wight have been compared to Iceland.

Guernsey has even been compared to Vietnam with its white beach and ‘youthful vibe’ ensuing its comparison with the popular south east Asian destination.

For the Isle of Man, it’s now indigenous population of wallabies means it has been compared to Australia.

The 500-plus population began after one of the marsupials escaped from the Wildlife Park in the 1960s and thrived in the nearby Ballaugh Curraghs.

We certainly do not have the warm temperatures of Australia – particularly this summer – nor do we have much of its other fauna like saltwater crocodiles, great white sharks and venomous snakes which is no bad thing.

The Mirror article says: ‘Drift across to this dinky island in the Irish Sea, blessed with lush valleys, barren hills and rugged coastlines. UNESCO designated the Isle of Man a biosphere reserve (one of six in the UK) in 2016, marking it out as one of the most beautiful spots in Britain to enjoy nature at its best.

‘However, after a chance escape from a wildlife park several decades ago, the island has a thriving wild wallaby population. The winding footpath through the Ballaugh Curraghs is the best place to spot the marsupials, which are native to Australia.’

While the comparison maybe a little fanciful, there is no getting away from the fact the island has incredible scenery and wildlife in its own right and the article does give details on how to get here and where to stay which is all good publicity.

The article also compares the Isles of Scilly to the Maldives and Northern Ireland to New Zealand.