A small fort was built on it in 1841 for the protection of the eastern section of Victoria Harbour,[2] and a battery with three cannons was added in 1854.
[5][6] After Kowloon Peninsula was ceded to Britain in 1860, the defense position of Kellett Island declined in importance, and it was used by British armed forces for ammunition and gunpowder storage.
[8] After the fall of Hong Kong in 1941, occupying Japanese forces kept military supplies there, including fuel, gunpowder, artillery and ammunition.
Following reclamation work in the 1960s and the completion of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel in 1972, Kellett Island was connected to Causeway Bay and its original outline disappeared, although the name remained.
[7] In October 1991, a pottery jar containing large quantity of Chinese copper coins was discovered at the island by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.