The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). This plan, which covers parts of High Street, Pakington Street and Derby Street is dominated by two historic Kew mansions: ‘Konetta’ and ‘Ramornie’. Ramornie was constructed in 1890 for James Maitland Campbell, three times Mayor of Kew. Sold in 1940, it became a boarding house known as ‘The Towers’. Now a private residence again, it has only one of its three balconies remaining. The location of the missing two balconies can be seen on the plan. In 1903, the grounds of Ramornie included a large tennis court fronting Pakington Street. The rear of the property is shown as extending to Cobden Street. One of Kew’s oldest hotels, the Prospect Hill Hotel on the corner of High and Cobden Street was established in 1858. The outline of the hotel shown on the plan represents the second building on the site. During the 19th century it was often used for electoral meetings. The Prospect Hill Hotel was to be redeveloped again in 1928, by the local architect Robert McIntyre. Since the 1980s, the hotel has been a live music venue, the home of the Melbourne Jazz Club, a restaurant and a liquor outlet.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, maps - borough of kew, mmbw 1585, cartography

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). That area of Kew bordered by Cotham Road, Park Hill Road, Ermington Lane (now Ermington Place), and Belmont Avenue contained some of the significant homes owned by Kew pioneers. Chief among these was ‘Park Hill’ on an enormous lot facing Park Hill Road. The Jubilee History of 1910 noted, six years after this plan was drawn, that: ‘Park Hill Road, forming the southern boundary of the cemetery, takes its name from Park Hill, the residence of Mr. Thomas Judd, who has resided there since December, 1852.’ Other named houses on the plan include ‘Ferndale’ facing Cotham Road; ‘Ermington’ adjacent to Judd’s Park Hill, facing Park Hill Road; and ‘Gilden’ and ‘Mont Belmont’ facing Belmont Avenue. Mont Belmont was designed by the architectural firm of Reed, Henderson and Smart for William George Lilley in 1887 and was completed in 1888. Lilley was Mayor of Kew in 1887-88, a Justice of the Peace and a member of the first Board of Guardians of Kew’s St. Hilary’s Church of England.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, survey plans - borough of kew, mmbw 1591, cartography

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). This plan covers the area between Barkers Road, Wrixon Street, Sackville Street and Brougham Place, much of it now occupied by Carey Baptist Grammar and Preshil schools. This was an area of large and prestigious homes in 1903, some with formally laid-out gardens, such as ‘Tower Hill’ and ‘Opawa’. ‘Kalimna’ was built in 1890-91 for William H. Jarman, an accountant, and ‘Blackhall’ at the same time for W.H. Roberts. Blackhall was to be acquired by the Salvation Army in 1915 and renamed ‘Catherine Booth Girls’ Home’. The Home accommodated girls, aged between 4 and 16. Kalimna and Blackhall are of significance as typical and intact late Victorian mansions and as such are two key Victorian buildings to have been built in Kew. Both Blackhall and Kalimna are now part of Preshil. ‘Fairview’ was for a long time occupied by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny as a care home for the elderly, but it is now part of Carey Grammar School, as are the grounds of ‘Wagga Merne’, ‘Weemutta’, ‘Blakely’, ‘Daheim’ and ‘Mildura’ (later ‘Urangeline’), the last being particularly impressive in 1903, with a tennis court, conservatory, outhouses, and two bathrooms!melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, mmbw 1563, cartography

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). This plan shows several very large houses, particularly along Glenferrie Road, and the area now occupied by Ruyton Girls’ School. ‘Tarring’ (incorrectly spelled here as ‘Karring’) was built for Henry Henty in 1872, on part of his original allotment of 20 acres, and ‘Mount View’, which retains its original building and the fountain in the front garden, is part of Ruyton’s Junior School. The most significant change to Tarring and its grounds since 1903, involve the removal of a number of the outbuildings, including a Burmese temple, bought by Henty from the Burmese Exhibit at the Great Exhibition of 1880. It is shown on the plan as a summerhouse. The two-storey mansion, on the corner of Glenferrie Road and Wellington Street, was built in 1891 by leading architect Alfred White as his own home. Having an initial N.A.V. of £160, the house was purchased by a warehouseman Henry Lister, by 1900, when the N.A.V. was recorded at £111. By the turn of the century the house was known as ‘Comaques’. By contrast, much smaller houses are shown in Scott and Byron Streets, including a tiny Mission Hall in Byron Street, which belonged to the Anglican Church from at least 1903 to 1917.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, maps - borough of kew, mmbw 1574, cartography

Recollections of the author's father, who worked at the Mont Park farm in the early 1960s, the MMBW 1966-1981 and as a fire watcher at Strath Creek Fire Tower until his retirement. The family also had a small mixed farm.3 p. text with colour photographswallaby creek, strath creek fire tower, keating family, anne paul, ted keating, bushfire management, melbourne water

An historical account of the development of Melbourne's water supply, including the Yarra and Plenty Rivers and Yan Yean and Maroondah Reservoirs.4 p., photocopy of article.melbourne water, mmbw, maroondah aqueduct, yan yean reservoir

An historical account from the Victorian Government Gazette 25/04/1879: Contract accepted - Melbourne Water Supply - B. Barnes & Co. Masonry abutments and piers, also construction and erection of wrought iron aqueduct over Plenty River at Morang. 5250 pounds.History of the Maroondah aqueduct1 p., photocopy of article, downloaded from State Library of Victoriamelbourne water, mmbw, maroondah aqueduct, plenty river

'Kew, Kew East, Balwyn & Balwyn North are located approximately 7km north east of Melbourne. Four main stormwater drains service the area flowing from south to north. Three of the drains: Deepdene Drain; Balwyn Drain & Glass Creek converge in Kew East just west of Burke Road at Kew High School before discharging into the Yarra River. The fourth drain, Kew Main Drain connects directly with the Yarra River to the West of Glass Creek.' The Kew Main Drain is a barrel drain that was created in the 1930s, and follows the route of the former Connor's Creek from the vicinity of Genazzano FCJ College to the Yarra River in East KewImportant and verifiable evidence of the construction methods used by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works in building the Kew Main Drain, before its reconstruction in c.1985.Original print colour positive photograph of the Kew Main Drain, provided on 14/12.84 to the Chief Engineer of the City of Kew, Ian Poulter, by the Supervising Engineer (Works), Southern and Eastern Drainage, Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works. The record includes an image of the reverse as well as the donation document from the MMBW."A84/1855-10 / 750mm council drain looking U/S [up stream] from Parkhill Road, Kew."kew main drain, stormwater drains -- kew (vic.), connor's creek -- kew (vic.)

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). This plan covers parts of Sackville Street, John Street, Thomas Street and Cotham Road, and includes several very large houses in Sackville Street. Job Smith built ‘Berrington’ in about 1888-90 for himself, and ‘Pomeroy’ (now ‘Merridale’) in 1885 for James Mickleburgh. ‘Heathfield’ was built in 1888 for Henry Eeles, and was one of many fine homes in Kew, Hawthorn and surrounding suburbs designed by prolific architect John Beswicke; it later became “La Verna” and was a Franciscan monastery. Similarly, in Cotham Road, we can see ‘Bella Vista’ (now demolished), and ‘Charleville’, with its double-storeyed arcade frontage, built in 1889 for Charles Donaldson whose family occupied it until 1939. This was renamed ‘Ross House’ by the second owner, Dr. Thomas King, and then substantially restored in the 1960s by the Stillwell family, well known as car drivers and dealers. Bella Vista (later ‘Malinda’) was originally designed by the architect Robert Haddon and built for Abel Hoadley, inventor of the Violet Crumble Bar and many other delicious delicacies. He began by manufacturing jams and pickles in South Melbourne using fruit from his own orchard in East Burwood.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, mmbw 1569, cartography

Subdivision plans are historically important documents used as evidence of the growth of suburbs in Australia. They frequently provide information about when the land was sold on which a built structure was subsequently constructed as well as evidence relating to surveyors and real estate and financial agents. The numerous subdivision plans in the Kew Historical Society's collection represent working documents, ranging from the initial sketches made in planning a subdivision to printed plans on which auctioneers or agents listed the prices for which individual lots were sold. In a number of cases, the reverse of a subdivision plan in the collection includes a photograph of a house that was also for sale by the agent. These photographs provide significant heritage information relating house design and decoration, fencing and household gardens.An old inscription on this photograph identifies it as ‘an elegant timber villa in High Street. It occupied part of Lot 91, bought by Edward Glyn in the land sale of 16th October 1851, and run as a flower farm’. The subdivision called the ‘Flower Farm Estate’ in East Kew occurred in 1922. [The subdivision plan is on the reverse of this photo.] The Estate included 61 lots on either side of Boorool Road between High Street and Harp Road. In the MMBW Detail Plan 2017 of 1926, a number of these new villas had already been built. Matching houses with MMBW maps can always be a challenge, however if this house was near the corner of Boorool Road and High Street, it seems to fit the profile of a house called ‘Maxton’ (demolished).Photographer's name on photograph, lower right, and stamp on mount lower right: "A. Aberline, Glenferrie".houses - maxton - high street - kew (vic.), violet farm estate, subdivisions - kew (vic.)

Henry Beater Christian (1886-1962) , was a descendant of one of the earliest settler families in Kew. Employed at the Kew Asylum as a 'public servant', he was a skilled amateur photographer, photographing numerous scenes in Kew and on his travels around Victoria. The majority of his photographs date from 1916 to 1929. His finest photographs are housed in two photograph albums. Digital copy of a photograph from page 22 of the 47-page photograph album containing 261 gelatinous silver images, loaned by Diane Washfold with given to digitise and hold a copy in our collection. This photograph, dating from the 1920s, shows a dam wall being constructed. The dam is probably the Maroondah Dam which was built by the MMBW in the 1920s. henry beater christian (1886-1962), landscape photography, christian-washfold collection, photograph albums, water catchments -- melbourne (vic.), dam walls, maroondah dam

An historical account from the Victorian Government Gazette 15/08/1890: Contract accepted - Melbourne Water Supply - Mephan Ferguson. Manufacture and erection of wrought iron tubular aqueduct over Plenty River near Greensborough. Addition and extension to Watts River Scheme.History of the Maroondah aqueduct1 p., photocopy of article, downloaded from State Library of Victoriamelbourne water, mmbw, maroondah aqueduct, plenty river, watts river

More than 30 swift parrots have been sighted within Melbourne Water's Maroondah Pipetrack in GreensboroughNews article 1 page, black text and colour image .greensborough, swift parrot, maroondah pipetrack, melbourne water, mmbw

In 1908 the Melbourne & Metropolitan board of Works published this book to illustrate its many constructions to provide Melbourne with its reticulated water and sewerage systems.This is now is a rare copy.Photographic images, landscape dimensions, hardboard cover, grey green colour Nilmmbw, weirs, dams & pumping stations, reservoirs, aqueducts

Aerial photograph of the Werribee Sewerage Farm, Victoria.werribee farm, mmbw, aerial, melbourne metropolitan board of works, sewerage

Lower Plenty River concept plan: Maroondah Pipe Track to Yarra River. Includes suggestion of Plenty River Trail along the west boundary of the Heidelberg Golf Club.66 p., illus., colour map. Also, Draft copy of document.plenty river trail, lower plenty river, heidelberg golf club, mmbw, melbourne parks and waterways

Henry Beater Christian (1886-1962) , was a descendant of one of the earliest settler families in Kew. Employed at the Kew Asylum as a 'public servant', he was a skilled amateur photographer, photographing numerous scenes in Kew and on his travels around Victoria. The majority of his photographs date from 1916 to 1929. His finest photographs are housed in two photograph albums. Digital copy of a photograph from page 22 of the 47-page photograph album containing 261 gelatinous silver images, loaned by Diane Washfold with permission given to digitise and hold a copy in our collection. This photograph, dating from the 1920s, shows a dam wall being constructed. The dam is probably the Maroondah Dam which was built by the MMBW in the 1920s. henry beater christian (1886-1962), landscape photography, christian-washfold collection, photograph albums, water catchments -- melbourne (vic.), dam walls, maroondah dam

The Shire of Whittlesea obtained a grant from the federal government to investigate the potential development of a park to the west of the Plenty River in 1976. A regional tip site and the Shire of Diamond Valley's Yarrambat Park were handed over to the MMBW to form the existing Metropolitan Park in 1986. A long term project to develop the park further is to commence in 1990.2 p. text, map and col. illus."With compliments of Sherryl Garbutt M.P. Member for Greensborough" (rubber stamp)plenty gorge park

In 1965, the Diamond Valley Shire planning association recommended to Council that a large area of land north of Greensborough be acquired for Parkland. The idea of a Civic Centre was included with a map of the area from Grimshaw Street in the south to the MMBW pipeline reserve in the north. Includes a suggested new site for the local school, near Yando Street. This area is now part of the Plenty River Trail.An example of developments in the Greensborough area during the period of Shire of Diamond ValleyNews clipping, black and white text and map. Scanned in 3 parts.shire of diamond valley, civic drive greensborough, yando street greensborough, partingtons flat, plenty river trail

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountmap, melbourne metropolitan board of works, mmbw, planning proposals, shire of eltham, planning

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountmap, melbourne metropolitan board of works, mmbw, planning proposals, shire of eltham, planning

35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountmap, melbourne metropolitan board of works, mmbw, planning proposals, shire of eltham, planning