The Grandpa Who Never Grew Old is an introspective exploration of Nienke’s quest to uncover the life of her grandfather, Jos Teunissen, who passed away long before she was born. Jos (24 years old ) and his wife Josee (19 years old) migrated to Australia on the Zuiderkruis in 1956. After a car accident they decided to move back to the Netherlands in 1965.
Jos ‘granddaughter Nienke, growing up in the Netherlands, had heard of Jos through family stories and seen photographs of him, yet his premature death and distant connection left him shrouded in legend.
Nienke’s research into his life delves into her family’s migration story from the Netherlands to Australia in the 1950s, and the series of tragic events that reshaped their lives. Through archival documents, photos, and interviews, she traces Jos’s dreams of a better life in Australia, the turning point of a devastating car accident, and the subsequent loss of his family. The interview (in Dutch) reflects on how this journey shaped Nienke’s understanding of her own identity, as well as her father’s longing to reconnect with a father he never knew. This reflection emphasises the power of one’s roots and how understanding the past helps define one’s present.
Source: National Archives Australia
Below are two propaganda Immigration publicity photos from the Australian Government
Immigration Department’s publicity campaign
By the 1960s the Immigration Department’s publicity campaign to attract migrants to Australia was in full swing.
Initially migrants from the United Kingdom were the focus of the campaigns. As interest waned the campaigns expanded to include northern European countries.
The Dutch were considered highly desirable migrants as it was assumed that they would ‘assimilate’ into Australian life easily and happily.
The images above come from a large set of photographs that was used by the Immigration Department as part of its campaign to attract Dutch migrants to settle in Australia in the 1960s. The photographs highlight plentiful food, the modern conveniences in new Australian homes, and a healthy lifestyle in wide open spaces.
