‘When I saw the sugarcane farms in Cairns, it felt like Punjab’: Devo Singh recalls arriving in Australia in 1964

In this episode of Punjabi Pioneers, we hear Devo Singh’s journey from a small village in Nawanshahr, in India’s northern state of Punjab, to Australia in 1964. Devo recalls seeing a plane and telephones for the first time, navigating strict household expectations, and making sure her three daughters received the education she never had. Arriving in Cairns, the sugarcane farmland reminded her of Punjab, grounding her memories as she built a new life. In this interview, she shares her story, reflecting the courage and resilience of Punjabi women who helped shape early Punjabi life in Australia.

Devo Singh - Punjabi migration stories from Far North Queensland. Credit: SBS Punjabi

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