Rock show: Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau and lawmakers visit Sharp Island in Sai Kung.

Eight sites have been selected to form the proposed Hong Kong Geopark and the Government will apply to the Ministry of Lands & Resources for national geopark status in the second half of this year.

Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau today led four lawmakers to visit two proposed geo-sites - Sharp Island and High Island.

He showed them the areas to be covered in the proposed park and the geo-features that will be found in them. The eight selected sites are located in the northeast New Territories and Sai Kung.

"Through this visit we briefed members on the Government's plan on how to manage the geopark and the series of works the Government is undertaking to protect, publicise and educate the public on the geopark," Mr Yau said.

Near Sai Kung town, Sharp Island is covered with various volcanic rocks including rhyloite, volcanic breccias and monzonite. This place also showcases the caldera boundary that existed in Sai Kung more than 100 million years ago.

Between Sharp Island and High Island is a dense area of hexagonal columns, which are estimated to cover more than 100 square kilometres. The scale of this group of hexagonal columns is the largest known in the world today.