Australia, Jan 14:
An Australian woman’s bandicoot-ravaged yard was dubbed the winner of the first-ever World’s Ugliest
Lawn competition.
Kathleen Murray of Sandford, Tasmania, was named the winner of the contest, which was organized by
the town of Gotland, Sweden.
Gotland started the contest two years ago to encourage locals to conserve water amid a near-disastrous
drought in the town, and this year the contest went global, with lawns in the United States, Canada,
Britain, Germany, France and Croatia competing for unaesthetic honors.
Murray’s lawn features sparse patches of yellow grass, shriveled plants and dry divots caused by the
local bandicoots.
“The bandicoots love digging — that’s how they find their favorite food. Now my back yard looks like a
real-life Hungry Hungry Hippo game. I also have an echidna that helps, and some chooks,” Murray told
The Guardian.
Murray was awarded with a “pre-owned” T-shirt bearing the phrase: “Proud owner of the World’s Ugliest
Lawn.”
“I used to think the bandicoots were wildlife of mass destruction invading my lawn, but now I see that
they’ve actually liberated me from ever having to mow it again,” Murray said. “I’m all for guilt-free
weekends, especially since my ex-husband left with the lawnmower back in 2016.”
