Green Island (Chinese: 青洲) is an island off the northwest coast of Kennedy Town on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong, separated by the Sulphur Channel. A smaller island nearby to the east, uninhabited, is called Little Green Island (小青洲). Administratively, the two islands are part of Central and Western District.
Contents |
Green Island is largely uninhabited and at the east coast is Green Island Reception Centre and Green Island Police Station. Top of the hill is an office of Marine Department and a light house southwest guides the ships in Sulphur Channel.
The buildings of the Green Island Lighthouse Compound were declared as monuments in 2008.[1] The historic buildings include the two lighthouses built in 1875 and 1905 respectively and the European quarters of the lighthouse compound. These three buildings are individually Grade II historic buildings.[2]
The island is densely covered with woodland and tall scrub. A total of 150 plant species and a large variety of butterfly species have been found. One ant species not previously found elsewhere in Hong Kong was recorded on Green Island. The locally rare reef egret and white-bellied sea eagle have been seen on the island.
Green Island is an important reporting point for location aviation in Hong Kong for entry to Victoria Harbour by air. All local traffic flying into or out of the Harbour must report overhead Green Island. As the Harbour is quite narrow and aviation traffic can be heavy at times due to the large number of helicopters and light aircraft, Green Island can also act as a holding point before permission to enter is granted by air traffic control.
In the 1990s, the Hong Kong Government has proposed reclamation of Sulphur Channel and turning Green Island into a residential area, with an exit of cross-harbour tunnel of Route 10. The proposal was put off due to strong opposition from environmental concern groups.
|
||||||||