We created a detailed hand-drawn illustrated map of Melbourne (and other Australian cities) with a small team of artists

I first set up my Travel Massive profile back in 2017, when our Melbourne Map was still in production. A lot has happened since then — including finishing that map and creating several more — yet I’ve never properly shared our work here.

I’m excited to finally introduce our illustrated maps to the Travel Massive community!

Our maps take years to create, working with a small team of talented artists, researching and documenting each location.

Once they’re complete, I set about transforming them into meaningful products that locals, travellers, and map lovers can enjoy. One of our most unexpected successes came from a chance meeting with Australia’s largest scarf manufacturer, which led to our illustrated map scarves — wearable pieces of art that tell the story of a place.

By far our most popular product has been our jigsaw puzzles. They took off during the pandemic lockdowns and have continued to attract collectors and puzzle enthusiasts from around the world. Production and storage used to be a challenge (there’s nothing quite like trying to store a 40‑foot container of puzzles imported from New Zealand), but we now work with an excellent Australian manufacturer with lower minimum orders. It’s made the whole process far more sustainable — and it means we can also offer custom‑printed puzzles for businesses looking for unique gifts or promotional items.

If you’re curious about map-making, or thinking about creating a map of your own hometown, please feel free to reach out. There’s plenty of information on our website about the history of our map-making adventures. It’s been an incredibly rewarding journey for me, and I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned along the way.

Learn more at www.themelbournemap.com.au — feel free to share your feedback!

I love these so much, I can see why the jigsaws are so popular. Hope to see you at a Melbourne Travel Massive soon.