The Palm Tree blog: May 2026

The Melbourne Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Toorak Road, South Yarra, on corner of Arnold Street, replaced their earlier Synagogue in Bourke Street, Melbourne (I have written about this here) The Toorak Road Synagogue, is a grand building with seating for 1,200 and a towering copper dome and was consecrated on May 25, 1930. (1) It was designed by architect Nahum Barnet (1855-1931). (2)

Of interest to me, as this is a blog all about Palm Trees, is the palm planted on the Toorak road frontage of the property. When was it planted? It doesn't appear in the image from the newspaper report of the opening, see below, which may have just been the angle it was taken. However, looking at Sands, McDougall Directory (3) it appears to have been a vacant block when it was acquired by the Congregation, around 1927 (4), so I am sure the palm was planted after the building was erected.

The Synagogue in May 1930

Hebrew Standard of Australasia, June 6 1930 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121838003

Then there is this photograph, below, from the State Library of Victoria (SLV) by photographer Victor Edward Charnley (c.1880-1962). SLV have it dated 1914-1933, quite a broad range and is obviously post 1930, so if the original date range is accurate it must have been taken 1930-1933. No palm tree and it is an interesting perspective as you can't see the front steps of the Synagogue. Also of interest is the bluestone building at the left, which is in Bromby Street and part of Melbourne Grammar School.

Synagogue, but no Palm Tree.

Synagogue, Toorak Road, South Yarra, 1930-1933. Photographer: V.E. Charnley

State Library of Victoria image H32028/28 https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/15514

The State Library of Victoria has another image of the Synagogue and Palm Tree, see below. It is a Rose Series postcard, and the SLV dates all these as c.1920-1954. The car number plate is JA then some numbers and this style of plate (2 letters, 3 numbers) was issued between 1939 until 1953, so 1939 is the earliest this photo could have been taken. (5) However, the car appears to be an Austin with the Flying A hood ornament, which was introduced in 1947 (6) so this gives us a new earliest date for the photo and indicates that the Palm Tree was perhaps planted mid late 1930s.

The Synagogue and the Palm Tree, sometime after 1947

Melbourne Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.

State Library of Victoria image H32492/612 https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/65489

In the two photos above, you can see the house next to the Synagogue, which from 1914 until his death in 1937 was owned by Joseph Montague Pyke, a commission agent. (7) After his death it became the Blackney Chiropractic and Naturopathic Institute; the owner, Mr Blackney, came from a family of Cornish bone-setters and studied in San Francisco. (8) The address of this house was 274 Toorak Road, and it was some time between 1955 and 1960 that the road was renumbered and 274 Toorak Road became 10W Toorak Road. (9) The Synagogue is numbered as 8 Toorak Road.

I bought the photograph (10), below, on EBay, because of the Palm Tree (and hence this post). It wasn't dated. Compared to the Rose Series postcard image above, does the palm tree look taller, or is it just the angle the photo is taken on? Not sure, but I am dating it to the 1950s.

The Synagogue and the Palm Tree, undated, maybe 1950s.

The next image, below comes from the City of Melbourne collection, and is dated c. 1969-1970. The Palm Tree had grown taller. You can just see Mr Pyke's old house peeking out between the Palm Tree and the block of flats.

The Synagogue and the Palm Tree, c. 1969-1970.

35A-78b Image showing a forked road at Toorak Road and Toorak Road West c1960-70.

Photographer: Engineering branch, City of Melbourne.

https://citycollection.melbourne.vic.gov.au/35a-78b-image-showing-a-forked-road-at-toorak-road-and-toorak-road-west/

This is the Synagogue and our very tall Palm Tree in May 2022; it is also a good view of Mr Pyke's lovely house.

Image: Google Street View.

This is our Palm Tree in December 2025.

Image: Google Street View.

In conclusion, I believe the Palm Tree outside the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Toorak Road, was planted md to late 1930's, which makes it 85 to 90 years old.

Footnotes

(1) Hebrew Standard of Australasia, May 30, 1930, see here; Hebrew Standard of Australasia, June 6, 1930, see here; Australian Jewish Herald, May 29, 1930, see here.

(2) Nahum Barnet - Australian Dictionary of Biography entry

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barnet-nahum-62

(3) Entries from Sands & McDougall Melbourne and Directories - on-line at the State Library of Victoria - for the Synagogue block and Mr Pyke's property.