Ma On Shan Country Park
Traditional Chinese馬鞍山郊野公園
Simplified Chinese马鞍山郊野公园
Pyramid Hill viewed from the Ngong Ping plateau.

Ma On Shan Country Park (Chinese: 馬鞍山郊野公園) is a park located in the central neck of the Sai Kung Peninsula in the eastern New Territories of Hong Kong. The park covers an area of 28.8 square kilometres (11.1 sq mi)[1] and links Sai Kung Country Park and Lion Rock Country Park to form an extensive recreation area on the Ma On Shan massif.

History

The country park was established on 27 April 1979.

In 1998, Ma On Shan Country Park was reduced in size by around 0.1 hectares (0.25 acres) near Nai Chung in order to accommodate the widening of Sai Sha Road. The revised park boundary came into effect on 18 December 1998.[2]

Sightseeing

Apart from a separate section of the park on the Pak Sha Wan Peninsula, much of Ma On Shan Country Park is inland. Distant vistas of the sea and off-shore islands open up from many of the high vantage points within the park's boundaries, but most of the exploring keeps you far from the coast.

Mountains

Mountains within Ma On Shan Country Park include Buffalo Hill and West Buffalo Hill, Cheung Shan, Kowloon Peak, Luk Chau Shan, Ma On Shan, Nui Po Shan, Pyramid Hill, Shek Nga Shan, Tate's Cairn, The Hunch Backs, Tiu Shau Ngam. The Ngong Ping plateau is also locateau within the park.

Iron mine of Ma On Shan

Iron mining had long been carried out at Ma On Shan. The lease of the Ma On Shan Iron Mine expired in 1981 and the mine closed subsequently.[3][4]

Vegetation

Most of these hills are somewhat bare in terms of vegetation. Their inaccessibility made it uneconomic to carry out afforestation when tree planting was necessary for fuel supply; the mainly volcanic slopes are inhospitable to all but the hardiest plants. Nevertheless, some unusual pockets of vegetation have survived over the years and even the ruined slopes of Ma On Shan are notable for their wild rhododendron, orchids and some unusual ferns.

Wildlife

The secluded and unspoilt surroundings have fostered a range of wildlife within the park. Pangolin, barking deer, porcupine and wild boar are still seen from time to time.[1]

Hiking trails

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Ma On Shan Country Park". www.afcd.gov.hk. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
  2. ↑ "Lung Fu Shan designated as the 23rd country park". Hong Kong Government. 16 December 1998.
  3. ↑ Kao, Ernest (5 May 2014). "Hong Kong's forgotten mining past emerges from the darkness". South China Morning Post.
  4. ↑ CEDD: Economic Geology - Minerals and Mining in Hong Kong
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