John Gardiner Austin CMG (Chinese: 柯士甸; 7 August 1812 – 25 July 1900) was a British colonial administrator. He was Lieutenant-Governor of British Honduras 1864–1867, and Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1868 to 1879, acting as Administrator (acting Governor) of the colony in 1877.

Austin was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of British Honduras in February 1864,^[1] and served for two years until 1867.

In 1868, he was appointed Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong,^[2] serving as such until 1879. He was also Auditor General of the colony from 1870 to 1879,^[3] and Administrator (acting Governor) from March to April 1877. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in March 1876, for his services in Hong Kong.^[4]

Austin married, in 1836, Emma Wilday (1 February 1811 – 9 May 1879), and was the father of six sons and four daughters, including:

• Charles Wilday Austin (19 January 1837 – 1 December 1862)
• John Gardiner Austin (19 July 1838 – 8 March 1902), who in September 1901 was appointed a Member of the Barbados Legislative council.^[5] Sir Harold Austin was his son.
• Mehetabel Percy Austin (29 February 1840 – 27 December 1943), who married in 1862 Axel Dickson (1826–1899), a member of the Swedish parliament of Scottish origin. She was one of few people born on leap day to celebrate a centennial.^[6]

Mount Austin on Hong Kong Island, Austin Road and Austin Avenue in Kowloon were named after him. The Austin station of the MTR was so-named due to its proximity to Austin Road West, and the naming may be more influenced by geographical convenience rather than any direct link to Austin himself.