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.The Raheen Estate Subdivision of 1960 involved the creation of 36 residential allotments and the sale of 34 of these. The land on which the subdivision was created had until 1960 formed part of the grounds of the mansion Raheen in Studley Park Road. In 1917, the Catholic Church had purchased Raheen and its lands. It was to become the home of Archbishop of Melbourne, Daniel Mannix, for 46 years. The sale of the subdivision took place three years before the Archbishop’s death. Subsequent archbishops were to reside at Raheen until its sale to the Pratt family in 1981. When the sale of the Estate was reported in the newspapers in 1960, it was described as the last big subdivision near Melbourne. At the auction, 33 of the 36 allotments were sold. The auction realised £315,750. Purchasers were advised that the vendor intended to keep lots 22 and 23. The alllotments in the subdivision required the construction of new roads. These included Eamon Court and Raheen Drive. The justification provided by the Church for the sale was that the estate was being sold to finance school building projects.subdivision plans - kew, studley park, raheen estate, eamon court, studley park road, coombes avenue, raheen drive