Two hundred meters high. Fifteen hundred meters wide. That’s the Anderson Road Quarry. Imagine the sheer scale.
The Anderson Road Quarry isn’t just a hole in the ground. It’s a scar on the landscape a testament to Hong Kong’s rapid growth. Granite quarrying began here in 1956. This quarry supplied the stone for much of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Think of the buildings the roads the foundations all built from this very place.
The name itself holds a story. Anderson Road itself was built by the British Army early in the 20th century. It’s named after William John Anderson. He was the Controller of Stores in Government Supplies. The quarry is right next to the road hence the name Anderson Road Quarry.
But this isn’t just about the British. It’s about post-war Hong Kong. A time of immense population growth. A time when the city needed building materials fast. K Wah was a pioneer. They began using modern machinery. This made quarrying safer and more efficient than ever before. In 1964 they even got the first private contract to quarry here. This quarry was crucial to building the Hong Kong we know today.
The quarry wasn’t without its impact though. Its immense size dominated the Kowloon skyline. Some even say it negatively affected the feng shui of Victoria Harbour. After decades of supplying the city the quarry closed in July 2017.
Today the land is planned for massive redevelopment. Thousands of apartments will soon stand where granite once lay. The Anderson Road Quarry’s story is ending. A new chapter is beginning. But the memory of this place and its role in Hong Kong’s history will remain. The quarry’s legacy is etched in the very fabric of the city.