The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was established by an act of the Victorian Parliament in 1890 to prepare for and to implement a sewerage and water reticulation system across what was then inner Melbourne, its surrounding and middle distance suburbs, including Kew. The MMBW was disbanded in 1991.The map collection of the Kew Historical Society has at its core the historic maps assembled and originally stored in the City Engineer's Department of the City of Kew. These include maps in a number of scales. The vast majority of maps were produced by the MMBW in the first two decades of the twentieth century, and are solid working maps, backed by linen for durability. These maps are historically significant to Kew, the City of Boroondara and to the history of the development of state utilities in Victoria. A number of the Kew maps have additional details added by former municipal officers, including the levels reached by various floods. As these were working documents, information was added to them long after the period of their initial production and distribution.Map of the City of Kew showing part of the River Yarra Beautification Schemes. The map shows development to date and the flood levels reached in 1923 and 1924. This map may have been adapted from an earlier map, as most development in central Kew and Studley Park had occurred by this date yet numerous streets are not represented. Public buildings and institutions are clearly represented and named on the map as are significant public transport infrastructure (eg the Outer Circle railway).MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS / RIVER YARRA BEAUTIFICATION SCHEMES / SCHEME / SCALE 10 CHAINS TO AN INCHmelbourne & metropolitan board of works, mmbw maps, mmbw plans, city of kew, flood levels -- kew (vic.), cartography

The Engineer's Department of the former City of Kew had an extensive collection of photograph of sites in Kew requiring documentation to inform public works. It also kept images of engineering practice in other parts of Melbourne, and overseas, that could be used as models for local activity. Many of these photographs (and plans) were donated to our collection in the 1980s. A number of the photographs are annotated, either on the image itself or on the reverse.This photograph, and others sourced from the City Engineer's Department of the former City of Kew, qualifies as an important record of local streets, public works, street beautification, and engineering techniques of the period. Original black and white photographic positive of automobiles and buildings in Denmark Street, Kew, immediately before the road enters Kew Junction. On the left is McKeon Motors and a retailer of Insulwool, while in the distance is the pharmacy on the corner of High Street and Princess Street (later demolished during the widening of Kew Junction). Notable are the bluestone guttering and what appears to be vacant land on the apex of the triangle of land bounded by High Street South, Denmark Street and Barkers Road. This site was the original location of O'Shaughnessy's 'Kew Hotel', and after the destruction by fire of the latter, the location of a service station. [It is now the site of the Cresco Reserve].Annotation verso: "Indicating the existence of a vehicular entrance at Denmark St abuttal of No.188 High St prior to reconstruction of channeling &c 1972."denmark street -- kew (vic.), kew junction, luestone gutters, mckeon motors, insulwool