
Tai Tam (Quarry Bay Extension) Country Park
[Country Parks (Designation) (Consolidation) Order (Chapter 208B)] (
Chinese: 大潭(鰂魚涌擴建部份)郊野公園), also known simply as Quarry Bay Country Park (鰂魚涌郊野公園), on the eastern side of
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island () is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. The island, known originally and on road signs simply as "Hong Kong", had a population of 1,289,500 and a population density of , . It is the second largest island in Hong Kon ...
, is one of the twenty four statutory
country park
A country park is a natural area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.
United Kingdom
History
In the United Kingdom, the term ''country park'' has a specific meaning. There are around 250 designated c ...
s in Hong Kong, and the twentieth to be so designated, in 1979.
The park is located near
Quarry Bay
Quarry Bay is an List of buildings, sites, and areas in Hong Kong, area beneath Mount Parker (Hong Kong), Mount Parker in the Eastern District, Hong Kong, Eastern District of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Quarry Bay is bordered by Sai Wan Ho ...
. It covers
Mount Parker, the second highest peak () on Hong Kong Island and the highest in
Island east
Taikoo Place () is a commercial building complex located in Quarry Bay, east Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It comprises grade A office towers, car parking, clubs, office apartment, parks, and shops. It is reachable by MTR Island line (MTR). These t ...
, as well as
Mount Butler
Mount Butler or Pat Na Shan ( Chinese: 畢拿山) is a 436 m high hill on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.
Access
Hong Kong Trail Stage 5 passes near the summit of Mount Butler. The best place to start the hike to the summit is from the Parkview ap ...
and
Siu Ma Shan. goes through the park.
According to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the
Environmental Protection Department
Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is a department of Hong Kong Government concerning the issues of environmental protection in Hong Kong. The EPD is responsible for developing policies covering environmental protection, nature conser ...
the number of visitors in 1998-1999 was 701,400, second only to
Aberdeen Country Park
Aberdeen Country Park is located on the south end of Hong Kong Island near the area called Aberdeen, Hong Kong. Much of the south side of the island is underdeveloped and retains more of the rural feel that predominated on the island before it ...
amongst country parks on Hong Kong Island.
Features
A major feature of this country park is a site with dozens of wartime field stove, built in preparation for the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
, a red-brick house which currently houses a biodiversity education centre and was a residence for the
Taikoo Sugar Refinery
Taikoo Sugar Refinery is a sugar importer and former sugar refinery in Hong Kong.
History
Taikoo Sugar Refinery was established by John Samuel Swire in June 1881 after a thorough investigation into the feasibility and openings for a new refiner ...
,
is also located within this country park at 50 .
Hong Park Country Trail,
Quarry Bay Tree Walk
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to manage their safety ...
and
Quarry Bay Jogging Trail are located within the park.
Quarry Pass
Quarry Pass (), also known as the Quarry Gap or Tai Fung Au, is a
col
A col is the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks; a mountain pass or saddle.
COL, CoL or col may also refer to:
Computers
* Caldera OpenLinux, a defunct Linux distribution
* , an HTML element specifying a column
* A collision sig ...
situated above sea level in the park. The Quarry Pass Pavillon marks the starting point of
Hong Kong Trail
The Hong Kong Trail, opened in 1985, is a List of long-distance footpaths#Hong Kong, long-distance footpath from Victoria Peak to Big Wave Bay, Hong Kong Island, Big Wave Bay on Hong Kong Island. It is a walking route which passes through th ...
Section 6, with a commemorating
plaque for the opening of the Hong Kong Trail placed nearby. A wooden
pillar
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
is placed at the Pavillon to indicate the starting point, with three direction
signage
Signage is the design or use of signs and symbols to communicate a message. Signage also means signs ''collectively'' or being considered as a group. The term ''signage'' is documented to have been popularized in 1975 to 1980.
Signs are any ki ...
plates mounted on the pillar.
The Quarry Bay Pass Pavilion (Chinese: 大風坳涼亭) is an
intersection
In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their ...
point that connects trails to
Mount Butler
Mount Butler or Pat Na Shan ( Chinese: 畢拿山) is a 436 m high hill on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.
Access
Hong Kong Trail Stage 5 passes near the summit of Mount Butler. The best place to start the hike to the summit is from the Parkview ap ...
,
Mount Parker,
Tai Tam Reserviors and Tai Tam Country Park Entrance (through Mount Parker Road). There is also an unpaved hiking trail to reach the Quarry Pass, via the Mount Parker Cable Car's Ruin Trail.
With 5 trails linked to the intersection point, the pavilion area is equipped with a
public toilet
A public toilet, restroom, bathroom or washroom is a room or small building with toilets (or urinals) and sinks for use by the general public. The facilities are available to customers, travelers, employees of a business, school pupils or pris ...
, basic
outdoor gym
An outdoor gym is a gym built outside in a public park, with the all-weather construction of its exercise machines somewhat modeled on playground equipment. It is similar to the 1960s–1970s proliferation of fitness trails, which continue to ...
and
recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for happiness, enjoyment, amusement, ...
al facilities, a
picnic
A picnic is a meal taken outdoors (Al fresco dining, ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event su ...
area, outdoor stone
BBQ stoves and a roofed resting
pavilon. A set of stairs located behind the roofed resting pavilion allows a direct climb to the summit of
Mount Butler
Mount Butler or Pat Na Shan ( Chinese: 畢拿山) is a 436 m high hill on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.
Access
Hong Kong Trail Stage 5 passes near the summit of Mount Butler. The best place to start the hike to the summit is from the Parkview ap ...
.
The Mount Parker Viewing Point, a scenery viewing site, is situated within the Quarry Pass.
See also
*
Hong Kong Trail
The Hong Kong Trail, opened in 1985, is a List of long-distance footpaths#Hong Kong, long-distance footpath from Victoria Peak to Big Wave Bay, Hong Kong Island, Big Wave Bay on Hong Kong Island. It is a walking route which passes through th ...
*
Wilson Trail
*
Mount Parker Cable Car
References
{{coord missing, Hong Kong Island
1979 establishments in Hong Kong
Country parks and special areas of Hong Kong
Quarry Bay