1950s Pok Fu Lam Dairy Farm | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

1950s Pok Fu Lam Dairy Farm

1950s Pok Fu Lam Dairy Farm
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Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Friday, January 1, 1954
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Hi,

I couldn't quite figure out the location of the rocky stream in the foreground of this photo until I saw a similar stone wall feature during my exploration of the stream above Victoria Road last time.  It is right between the junctions of Cybeport Road and Wah Chui Street.  The strong odour of the filthy flowing water will certainly get your attention.  

You will encounter such stone wall remains when you follow the stairs from Victoria Road.

Stone Wall Remains
Stone Wall Remains, by Freddie

 The same stone wall is still very much intact nowadays. 

Stone Wall Remains of Dairy Farm
Stone Wall Remains of Dairy Farm, by Freddie

If you walk all the way to the other end of the stone wall, you will notice a rather ordinary bridge.

Retaining Wall and Road Bridge on Victoria Road
Retaining Wall and Road Bridge on Victoria Road, by Freddie

 But if you get closer enough, you will notice the presence of a stone arch bridge right below the modern-day pavement.

Present-day bridge on Victoria Road
Present-day bridge on Victoria Road, by Freddie

Stone Arches

Victoria Road Stone Arch Bridge Foundation
Victoria Road Stone Arch Bridge Foundation, by Freddie

Take a look of the inside and you can see the expansion section of the bridge at far end.  

Victoria Road Stone Arch Bridge Detail
Victoria Road Stone Arch Bridge Detail, by Freddie

It is time to head back to the stream to explore further.  Residence Bel-Air in the background.

Water Stream above Victoria Road
Water Stream above Victoria Road, by Freddie

 If you go further up the stream, you will find a section of stream bed with Pokfulam Gardens in the background.  Once I noticed there were flushed toilet papers all over the rock surface, I turned away and left the scene immediately.

Stream Bed Below Pokfulam Gardens
Stream Bed Below Pokfulam Gardens, by Freddie

If you want to explore further upstream, you will need to go toward the left side of the stream where you will find a trail with the ribbon indication.  This will lead you to another clearing where there is a pool and a waterfall.  This is not the same waterfall as the one below Pokfulam Road and Chinese Cuisine Training Institute.  

Second Waterfall and Pool below Pokfulam Road
Second Waterfall and Pool below Pokfulam Road, by Freddie

Regards,
Freddie 

Thanks to Moddsey for posting the pic at the start of this string and to Freddie for following up with his discovery of the old bridge and warning me about the smell! Omg, it stinks! There should be a public health warning at Waterfall Bay, into which this stream runs.

Anyway, HT Wong's excellent collection of photos on flickr has a similar view.

 

Pokfulam Dairy Farm
Pokfulam Dairy Farm, by HT Wong on flickr (1955 Pokfulam Dairy Farm)

This one is taken from a slightly wider angle, and at its right side shows part of a circular stone building not visible in the first shot. Zooming in on the brilliant map provided by Lands Department shows a dotted circular shape in roughly the same position, just to the north of the bridge over Victoria Road.

Lands Department map of Victoria Road Bridge, Pokfulam
Lands Department map of Victoria Road Bridge, Pokfulam, by Hong Kong government lands department

Could the old stone structure still be there?

Yes, long abandoned, but still there. It's always nice to find something old and forgotten in modern Hong Kong. Here's the view from the "front", downhill side.

Silage Silo above Victoria Road
Circular stone structure, by gw

 A narrow vertical vent runs up the side.

Vertical gap
Vertical gap, by gw

I guess its function was to allow easy access to the interior at various levels.

This is the view of the top. The 1955 photo suggests it then had a conical roof, and I seem to remember I've seen photos of a similar structure with a roof. If so, it's long gone.

Top of silage silo above Victoria Road
Top of stone structure, by gw

I presume the structure was a food storage facility for the animals kept at the Pokfulam Dairy Farm. It's not difficult to access, hiding in the trees about 100 meters off Victoria Road.

Hi gw, Thank you for discovering another silo in such a good condition. There is another one over at Pokfulam Village that still has the conical rooftop attached to it. The rest I saw around the area are mostly in ruin. Yes, the water really stinks and I got sick last time by lingering around the river bank too long.