Christabel Young’s chapter offers a comprehensive demographic analysis of Dutch migration to Australia, tracing the development of the Netherlands-born population and their Australian-born descendants across several decades. Drawing on census data, birth/death records, immigration statistics, and health studies, Young provides an insightful account of the integration, transformation, and demographic profile of the Dutch in Australia from the early post-war years to the 1990s.
Migration and Population Growth
While the Dutch had a minimal presence in Australia before WWII, post-war migration surged due to assisted migration schemes and deteriorating conditions in the Netherlands. Dutch migration peaked in the 1950s and early 1960s, with many arriving from the Netherlands and former colonial territories like Indonesia. Over time, migration rates declined as economic conditions improved in the Netherlands. Though net migration remained slightly positive into the 1990s, natural attrition through aging led to a decline in the Netherlands-born population. By 1991, approximately 90% of Dutch arrivals had been in Australia for over a decade.
Geographic Distribution
The Dutch settled widely across Australia, with significant populations in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. Uniquely among non-English-speaking groups, a substantial proportion settled outside capital cities, reflecting either a preference for rural lifestyles or a reaction against the urban density of the Netherlands.
Age Structure and Cohort Transition
Initially a young, family-oriented group, the Dutch immigrant population aged significantly by the 1990s due to reduced immigration and natural aging. Young highlights the transition from a youthful community in the 1950s to one with a high proportion of older adults by the 1990s. The addition of second-generation Australians—primarily children of mixed Dutch/non-Dutch parentage—altered the age structure, partially rejuvenating the community.
Second Generation and Ethnic Mixing
Second-generation Dutch Australians grew steadily, rising from 98,781 in 1976 to 139,677 in 1991. Most were of mixed parentage, indicating high rates of intermarriage. This shift underlines the rapid assimilation of the Dutch into mainstream Australian society. The proportion of Dutch descendants with both parents born in the Netherlands declined steadily, reinforcing the trend of cultural blending. Ethnographic comparisons reveal that Dutch Australians had more intermarriage than Southern Europeans but less than Germans or Britons.
Ethnic Strength and Ancestry
Using Charles Price’s concept of “ethnic strength”—a weighted measure combining full and partial ancestry—Young shows that by 1987, the Dutch accounted for 1.44% of Australia’s population. This ranked them fourth among non-English-speaking ethnic groups, behind Germans, Italians, and Greeks. Dutch Australians had a particularly high proportion of individuals of mixed ancestry, further testifying to their high integration rate.
Fertility Patterns
Dutch-born women in the early decades had higher fertility than Australian-born women, reflecting postwar family norms. However, fertility rates among Dutch migrants converged with and eventually fell below Australian levels by the early 1990s. Second-generation Dutch women showed fertility rates similar to the general population. Fertility also varied by religion (higher among Catholics) and by urban vs rural residence.
Intermarriage Trends
Intermarriage is a central theme in this demographic portrait. Dutch men were especially likely to marry outside their ethnic group, a pattern that began early and intensified over time. By the 1990s, over 90% of Dutch-Australian births involved one non-Dutch parent. Intermarriage among second-generation Dutch Australians was significantly higher than among groups like Italians or Greeks, reinforcing the assimilation trend.
Health and Mortality
Dutch Australians displayed consistently lower mortality rates than both the Australian-born population and their counterparts in the Netherlands. The reasons include selection effects (healthier migrants), lifestyle, genetics, and lower incidence of circulatory, respiratory, and digestive diseases. However, Dutch men had higher rates of lung cancer (linked to smoking), and Dutch women had higher rates of diabetes and previously elevated breast cancer mortality.
Suicide and Mental Health
Whitlock’s 1971 study on suicide revealed that Dutch immigrants had lower suicide rates than the Australian-born but higher than in the Netherlands. Among Dutch men aged 15–44, suicide was notably elevated, possibly reflecting acculturation stress. Interestingly, methods of suicide mirrored Australian patterns more than Dutch ones, suggesting behavioural assimilation.
Conclusion
Young presents the Dutch as a model of demographic transition: high early immigration followed by assimilation, intermarriage, and ageing. Their initial demographic surge has faded, replaced by a second generation largely integrated into the broader population. Despite declining fertility and rising age, the Dutch continue to show positive health outcomes. The third generation is emerging, largely of mixed ancestry, further blurring ethnic boundaries. Demographically, the Dutch in Australia offer a case study in how a migrant group can evolve from ethnic distinctiveness toward near-complete social integration within two generations.
Author Profile: Christabel M. Young
Christabel M. Young is a distinguished Australian demographer, known for her pioneering work on migration, mortality, and immigrant integration. She has been a senior researcher at the Australian National University (ANU), where her work has significantly shaped the understanding of immigrant populations in Australia. Her research spans multiple government departments, including contributions to the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Her expertise includes population dynamics, health outcomes, and intergenerational analysis of migrant communities. Notable works include Selection and Survival: Immigrant Mortality in Australia (1986) and numerous papers on fertility, health, and mortality patterns among migrants. She has collaborated with key figures such as Charles Price and Siew-Ean Khoo, bringing rigour and nuance to statistical and ethnographic analysis.
Young’s work is distinguished by its clarity, statistical depth, and policy relevance, offering valuable insights for multicultural policy, public health, and migration strategy. Her demographic lens blends social, medical, and cultural factors, making her contributions enduring and influential in Australian social research.
