North Kew, now divided between Kew and Kew East, bordered the Yarra River. As such, it was a region subject to flooding in the Yarra Valley. Development beyond this point (ie Kellett Grove) was limited by the City of Kew's planning regulations. Prior to urban development, the area since European settlement and the first land sales in the district in the 1840s, had been used for dairy farming. Small sepia snapshot taken of the front of 8 Kellett Grove, in what was then known as North Kew. Verso: 8 KELLETT GROVE / NORTH KEW / 1929 / 418 kellett gove -- north kew, californian bungalows, houses -- kellett grove -- kew (vic.)

After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for a number of real estate agents in Melbourne between 1983 and 2005. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink architectural drawing on drafting film of 6 Kellett Grove, Kew by Margaret Picken.6 KELLETT GVE., KEW / MARGARET PICKEN '95 / WOODARDS ~ HAWTHORNartist -- margaret picken 1950-, architectural drawings -- houses -- kew (vic.), 6 kellett grove -- kew (vic.)