Jardine's Lookout

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Jardine's Lookout, Hong Kong
渣甸山
Jardine's Lookout Tai Hang.jpg
View from Victoria Harbour, Jardine’s Lookout is on far right side
Highest point
Elevation433 m (1,421 ft)
Coordinates22°18′43.48″N 114°14′44.36″E / 22.3120778°N 114.2456556°E / 22.3120778; 114.2456556
Geography
Jardine's Lookout, Hong Kong is located in Hong Kong
Jardine's Lookout, Hong Kong
Jardine's Lookout, Hong Kong
Location of Jardine's Lookout in Hong Kong
Location Hong Kong

Jardine's Lookout (Chinese: 渣甸山) is a mountain and a residential area on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is located on the south of Happy Valley, east of Causeway Bay, and west of Mid-Levels East, at an altitude of approximately 433 metres.[1] Nearby hills include Mount Nicholson, Violet Hill and Mount Butler. Administratively, it is part of Wan Chai District. It is also on north of Deep Water Bay, Black’s Link, and Hong Kong Parkview.

History[]

Jardine's Lookout is named after William Jardine, founder of Jardine Matheson. It was from here, in the days of the sailing ships, that a watch was kept for the first glimpse of the sails of the firm's clippers coming from India and London. As soon as a vessel was signaled, a fast whaleboat was sent out to collect Jardines' mails. The correspondence was rushed back to the office so that the directors could have the first possible information on the world's markets. (This practice saved the company on at least one occasion, in 1866, when it learned of the collapse of the discount house Overend, Gurney and Company, about one hour before others did, and quickly withdrew its balances at a local bank before anyone else had heard of the news.)

Jardine's Lookout was the sight of fierce conflict in the Battle of Hong Kong and particularly, the Battle of Wong Nai Chung Gap. The Hong Kong Volunteer Defense Corps and Middlesex Machine gunners manned two pillboxes and other areas defending the pass around Jardine's Catchwater, as well as Canadian Winnipeg Grenadiers defending the adjacent Mount Butler. Japanese forces, after landing on the North Shore of Hong Kong Island; used Sir Cecil's Ride and moved up to this pass midway up the lookout and were engaged by Commonwealth forces. The fighting was the preliminary conflict in the Battle of Wong Nai Chung Gap.

Historically, Jardine’s Lookout consisted of thirteen roads named after British famous persons during Hong Kong’s colonial times.[2]  Although these roads are accessible from Chun Fai Road, Tai Hang Drive and Tai Hang Road, only thirteen roads should be recognized as Jardine’s Lookout’s residential district. Residential buildings such as Ronsdale Garden on Tai Hang Drive and Chun Fai Road are considered as the upper part of Tai Hang, below Mount Butler instead of Jardine’s Lookout. In 2019, Citic Pacific purchased a redevelopment site at 135 Tai Hang Road for HK$3.2 billion through a government land auction.[3] This site is located in Tai Hang, not considered to be Jardine’s Lookout.

Jardine’s Lookout and Mount Butler are popular for hikers who can enjoy scenery of Victoria Harbour.[4] There are different routes to the top of the mountains and hikers often start near Hong Kong Parkview  through Wilson Trail.

Residential area[]

Jardine's Lookout is the hill in the centre. Wong Nai Chung Reservoir is in the foreground.

Due to its scenic view and low population density, Jardine's Lookout has been considered an affluent neighbourhood. Residences situated there are amongst the most expensive of Hong Kong. The community mainly consists of highly-placed expatriates, government officials, and successful business people.

The area has large detached houses in private lots and more moderate townhouses. Low-rise and high-rise apartments make up the rest of the community. In 2011, the area had a population of 15,533.[5]

Houses in private lots include ones built in the 1950s which were in recent years sold to wealthy mainlanders. In 2015, Cheung Chung-kiu, Chairman of CC Land, reportedly purchased 1 Purves Road for about HK$760 million, or HK$96,729 per square foot.[6]

In 2019, Joseph Lau Luen-hung’s residence at Goldsmith Road ranked the fifth as Hong Kong’s most expensive residential properties in rental value estimated by the Hong Kong Government, with annual estimated rental value of HK$8.23 million.[7]In 2018, this house was reportedly by Apple Daily to be worth HK$ 2.5 billion. [8] Translating into over HK$ 200,000 based on internal floor area of around 10,000 square foot, its value surpasses all single houses in Hong Kong. In 2020, the site at 20 Perkins Road was sold for HK$850 million representing a 40 percent drop compared to previous market transactions. This price translated into over HK$82,000 per square foot compared to another site on Perkins Road in 2018 which changed hands at HK$145,000 per square foot.[9]  

Although Jardine’s Lookout is less recognized internationally as Hong Kong’s most expensive residential district, it is more exclusive than Victoria Peak and Repulse Bay.  It has no hospitals and public facilities, and very few local and overseas tourists. Only single detached houses can be built on private lots of most of the streets.   

This community is conveniently linked with public transportation and well-equipped with facilities. Jardine's Lookout is only a 10-minute drive to Central and 5-minute drive to Causeway Bay, (given good traffic) where the Cross-Harbour Tunnel is located, making the travel to the Kowloon easy.

Jardine's Lookout has a grocery store, deli, florists, post office and many small provisions stores.

Famous residents[]

  • Joseph Lau Luen-hung, property tycoon
  • Lucina Azul Jean Ying, wife of Stanley Ho
  • Gordon Wu, property tycoon
  • Cheung Chung-kiu, property tycoon
  • Shu Qi, actress
  • Michael Hui, actor
  • Jacky Cheung, singer
  • Leon Lai, ex-singer, businessman
  • Sammi Cheng, singer
  • Eason Chan, singer
  • Gigi Lai, actress

In June 2016, the Government of Canada sold the official residence of the Consul General located at 6 Goldsmith Road.[10]

Education[]

Located on Mt Butler Drive, the Lycée Français International Victor Segalen, a French international school, maintains its Jardine’s Lookout campus, housing primary school classes.[11]

Located on Blue Pool Road, the Hong Kong Japanese School's Happy Valley Campus is in the community.[12] The Happy Valley campus houses the primary education section.

Located on Blue Pool Road,  [zh] offers special education for children with mild intellectual disability.

As Blue Pool Road is located in Happy Valley, near Jardine’s Lookout, the only school in Jardine’s Lookout is the Lycée Français International Victor Segalen.

Transport[]

There are taxis and buses that can bring residents to main districts in Hong Kong.

Major Thoroughfares, Roads and Streets[]

  • Clementi Road (not accessible by car)
  • Cooper Road
  • Tai Hang Road

See also[]

Names related to Jardine

References[]

  1. ^ Bernie Owen; Raynor Shaw (2007). Hong Kong Landscapes: Shaping the Barren Rock. Hong Kong University Press. p. 189. ISBN 978-962-209-847-3. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Signs of a Colonial Era:". hkupress.hku.hk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Citic Pacific wins Tai Hang luxury residential site for HK$3.2 billion". South China Morning Post. 18 December 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  4. ^ "JARDINE'S LOOKOUT HIKE IN HONG KONG". Journey Era. 13 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  5. ^ "2011 Population Census – Fact Sheet for Wan Chai District Council Jardine's Lookout (B06)". Census and Statistics Department. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Jardine's Lookout remains magnet for wealthy mainlanders". South China Morning Post. 8 September 2017. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Hong Kong's most expensive homes in rental value terms EJINSIGHT - ejinsight.com". EJINSIGHT. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  8. ^ "【渣甸山大業主】大劉高士美道大屋 1億升至25億 ｜ 蘋果日報". Apple Daily 蘋果日報 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 June 2021.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Luxury Site Huge Price Drop".
  10. ^ "Canadian consulate sells luxury Hong Kong home, but not to fugitive Joseph Lau". South China Morning Post. 23 June 2016. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Une éducation d'excellence pour tous". French International School (in French). 10 June 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  12. ^ "About JIS Archived 12 January 2015 at WebCite"(Archive). Hong Kong Japanese School. Retrieved on 12 January 2015.

Coordinates: 22°16′06″N 114°11′33″E / 22.26827°N 114.19244°E / 22.26827; 114.19244

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