All 11 councillors of Wattle Range Council voted at their monthly meeting on Tuesday to retain the name “Chinaman’s Lane” for a road at Penola.
A new resident has bought property on that lane and petitioned council for a name change as “Chinaman’s Lane” caused them to take offence.
Debate on the resident’s letter lasted seven minutes with Engineering Services Director Peter Halton stating more than 150 comments on the name change request issue had been made on the Facebook page of The SE Voice.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Peter Dunnicliff said he was “dead against” the name change.
“It is part of our heritage,” Cr Dunnicliff said.
His stance was supported by the brief remarks made by Crs John Drew, David Walshaw, Chris Brodie, John Shelton and Sharon Cox.
Cr Walshaw said descendants of the Chinese market gardeners at Penola had contacted council to say they were not offended by the “Chinaman’s Lane” name.
“We should not be re-writing history,” Cr Walshaw said.
