Man forced to sell huge private island he won in prize draw after realising issues

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Matthias Ross won a 16-acre Canadian island in a Haribo prize draw in 2005, but travel bills and upkeep have prompted him to put the retreat on the market for £184,000.

Winning a private island might sound like a dream, but the bills that followed have prompted one lucky prize draw winner to put his Canadian retreat up for sale. Matthias Ross, 44, is asking £184,000 for the roughly 16-acre island on Black Lake in the Shelburne region of Nova Scotia. He won it in a lottery organised by sweet maker Haribo in 2005.

The prize came with a two-bedroom wooden house, a flight to the island, a canoe and fishing gear. There were even some gummy bears included in the package. But after years of holidays there, Matthias, from Bavaria in southern Germany, has reportedly decided the expense of keeping it is too much.

He told German newspaper Bild that flights to Canada, onward journeys by car and boat, and maintenance costs had made it too expensive to hold on to. On top of that, the annual property tax bill is €2,500, or roughly £2,000.

His parents helped look after the island and its property for years, but travelling there has become harder as they have grown older. Matthias is also said to be keen to explore other parts of the world after spending numerous holidays at the retreat over the past two decades.

For a buyer willing to take on those costs, the island offers a secluded escape with opportunities for fishing, swimming, hiking and evenings around a campfire. It can only be reached by boat. Solar panels provide power, while water is drawn from the lake.

The sale includes a two-bedroom, one-bathroom log cabin, two small boats, a shed, a generator and a small dock. Marshland belonging to the island also offers space to explore.

The property listing describes the setting as: "Escape to your own private island paradise, only 30 minutes from the amenities of Shelburne."

It adds: "A quick boat ride from shore will land you at your own island retreat where you can enjoy at least three seasons each year of lakeside living. The adjacent marshland belonging to the island invites you to go on extensive nature explorations, simply unique."

For those drawn…

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