A photograph of a young man overlooking Cronulla beach captures a moment in an Australian life that his family is still trying to reconstruct. The man is Wilhelmus Bernardus Rijks, also known as Bill Ryks. He arrived in Australia in September 1959, spent time in South Australia and departed in 1963. Although immigration records and driving licences preserve parts of his journey, much of his everyday life here remains unknown.
His son, John Ryks, contacted the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre after reading our article about Woodside Migrant Hostel. What began as a question about whether his father had stayed at Woodside has developed into a search for the workplaces, friendships and experiences behind the surviving documents.
From Limburg’s coal mines to Australia
Bill was born on 4 November 1934 in Neer, Limburg, in the Netherlands. Before emigrating, he lived at Kinkhoven 138 and worked in the Dutch coal industry. His migration application records employment at Staatsmijn Maurits in Geleen from 1949 to 1951, followed by Staatsmijn Emma from 1951 until his application in 1959.
He applied for an assisted passage under the Australian–Netherlands migration agreement. His application was approved on 13 August 1959. At the time, he was single and reported having no relatives or friends in Australia.
The selection officer assessed him favourably and recorded an intention to enter agricultural work. Whether Bill pursued farming in Australia is unknown, although his family confirms that he later became a farmer in New Zealand.
On 13 September 1959, aged 24, he arrived at Sydney aboard KLM aircraft PH-LDO. His registration application stated that he intended to remain in Australia permanently and gave Woodside, South Australia, as his intended address.
A brief Woodside stay
The surviving records indicate that Bill probably stayed briefly at Woodside Migrant Accommodation Centre.
A card filed in the National Archives’ Woodside immigration holding camp nominal index cards records his arrival at a holding camp on 16 September 1959 and departure on 25 September. Although the camp-name field is blank, the card’s inclusion in the Woodside collection, together with Woodside’s appearance in his registration records, provides strong evidence of the connection.
His destination on leaving the camp was recorded as “address unknown”. The circumstances of his departure from the centre remain unclear.
For the family, identifying this card under the spelling Rijks, rather than Ryks, has helped recover a short but significant part of his Australian journey.
Following the Adelaide addresses
Bill’s South Australian driving licences provide the clearest evidence of his life after the migrant centre.
His licence issued on 13 November 1959 names him as Bill Ryks, care of Y. V. D. Putten, 158 Cross Road, Unley. The identity of this person and their relationship with Bill remain unknown. The address was subsequently amended to 107 Gilbert Street, Adelaide.
A licence issued on 8 November 1960 also records the Gilbert Street address. Its reverse contains an address at the corner of Burbridge Road and Tapleys Hill Road, Fulham, later crossed out and replaced with 9 Nile Street, Glenelg.
The licence issued on 9 November 1961 carries the Nile Street address, followed by handwritten changes to Gilbert Street and 111 Rose Terrace, Wayville. The amendments are undated, so their precise chronology cannot be established.
These documents trace Bill through several Adelaide addresses. They do not identify his employers or tell us what work he undertook.
A photograph at Cronulla
A family photograph places Bill at Cronulla, New South Wales, during his Australian years. The family dates it approximately to 1962–1963, but its exact date and the reason for his visit are unknown.
Another photograph preserved by the family shows a couple beside a ship identified as Roma. The man is identified in family information as Henricus Gerardus Emonts, known as Harrie, Harry or Hank, who also came from Neer. John has contacted members of the Emonts family and other families connected with Neer’s emigrant community around Sydney. Those enquiries have provided background to that community, but have not yet established Bill’s place within it.
Returning home and moving to New Zealand
Bill departed from Sydney aboard Roma in 1963. His surviving registration records disagree about the date: one gives 5 January and another 5 November. The family has requested further information from the National Archives to resolve the discrepancy.
According to John, Bill returned to Neer, met his future wife and married her in the Netherlands on 15 January 1965. They subsequently emigrated to New Zealand, where Bill became a farmer.
The family later moved between New Zealand and the Netherlands as Bill struggled with homesickness. They returned to New Zealand for the final time in 1981 and remained there. Bill died in Hamilton on 20 December 2008.
Can you help fill the gaps?
Bill rarely spoke about his Australian years. His family hopes that memories, photographs or workplace records may help recover this part of his life.
Do you remember Wilhelmus Bernardus Rijks, Wilhelmus B. Ryks or Bill Ryks in South Australia between 1959 and 1963? Did you know him through Woodside, work, accommodation or the Dutch community? Information about Y. V. D. Putten at 158 Cross Road, Unley, or Bill’s connections around Adelaide and Sydney, would also be welcome.
Please contact the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre at dutchaustraliancc@gmail.com.
Related article: Woodside Migrant Hostel – South Australia’s Gateway for Many Dutch Migrants
Sources: National Archives of Australia: A2478, RIJKS W B, migrant selection documents; D343, RIJKS W B, Woodside holding-camp card, barcode 32676131; D4878, RYKS W, alien registration documents; D4881, RYKS WILHELMUS BERNARDUS, registration card, barcode 9215808. South Australian driving licences, photographs and family recollections supplied by John Ryks. Oos Naer local historical and genealogical information.
Main photograph caption: Wilhelmus Bernardus Rijks, known as Bill Ryks, at Cronulla, New South Wales, approximately 1962–1963. Photograph courtesy of the Ryks family.
Other family documentation
