ADELAIDE: Australia’s Kangaroo Island renamed itself Wallaby Island, in a show of support for the national rugby team in next month’s Rugby World Cup.
The move was also to promote tourism during the event, South Australia’s state tourism minister Jane Lomax-Smith said, and will be in force for the next six weeks only. Australia’s national team, nicknamed the Wallabies, are defending the title they won in 1999.
“The concept of Wallaby Island helps us get behind our Australian team as they seek to win the World Cup again,” Lomax-Smith said.
The island’s mayor, Michael Pengilly, has personally replaced existing Kangaroo Island signs with Wallaby Island signs. A popular tourist destination, Kangaroo Island is southwest of Adelaide, which will host two of the 48 games. – AFP
