The coastal town of Dongara has made Western Australian history by unveiling the state’s first official Sikh place name — Sikh Lane — in a ceremony that drew around 200 attendees.
The newly named laneway, which runs through what was once known as the town’s “Sikh Quarter”, commemorates the contributions of early Punjabi migrants, including Sojan Singh, the first Sikh to settle in the town nearly a century ago.
Irwin District Historical Society (IDHS) chair Dr Bruce Baskerville, who led the historical research behind the naming, told the ABC that the initiative has been years in the making.
Images: Sikh Lane Naming ceremony in Dongra, Western Australia (Source: Punjabi Sath Perth – Facebook)
According to the IDHS, Sojan Singh and other Punjabi families had established a vibrant business district in early 20th-century Dongara. However, the community faded over time due to the White Australia Policy, which restricted immigration and prevented Sikhs from reuniting with their families.
Singh’s former property, through which the now-named ‘Sikh Lane’ runs, once sat at the heart of the Sikh commercial hub.
The Shire of Irwin approved the naming proposal after a public submission process last year, with final Geographic Naming approval granted by Landgate in July.
For a town of just under 1,400 people, Dongara’s recognition of its Indian-Australian heritage is a significant act of remembrance — bringing visibility to a community once forgotten, but now etched permanently into Western Australia’s story.
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