DACC, Author at Dutch Australia Cultural Centre

KNILM: The Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij and its Australian Connection

A pioneering Netherlands East Indies airline The Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij, commonly known as KNILM, was the principal civil airline of the Netherlands East Indies. It was established on 16 July 1928, initially as the Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij. The company later received the royal designation Koninklijke. Despite the similarity of Read more

By DACC, 1 weekOctober 2, 2026 ago

Military and Political History

No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF: Dutch Kittyhawks over New Guinea

Rebuilding a Dutch fighter force Following the Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942, Dutch military aviation had to be rebuilt from personnel and aircraft scattered across Australia and the United States. The immediate priority was the formation of No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF, which Read more

By DACC, 1 weekOctober 1, 2026 ago

Military and Political History

No. 119 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF: the Dutch bomber squadron that never became operational

Plans for a second Dutch bomber squadron No. 119 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF was formed in Canberra in September 1943 as a proposed second Dutch–Australian B-25 Mitchell bomber squadron. It was intended to reinforce No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF and expand Dutch participation in Allied air operations Read more

By DACC, 1 weekOctober 1, 2026 ago

Military and Political History

The VK-KNIL at Yeronga Park – Dutch and American servicewomen training together in Brisbane

Dutch servicewomen train in wartime Brisbane In 1944, members of the newly formed Women’s Corps of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army—the VK-KNIL—trained with American servicewomen at Yeronga Park in Brisbane. Their meeting brought together two separate military organisations: the Dutch VK-KNIL and the United States Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Read more

By DACC, 3 weeksSeptember 21, 2026 ago

Migration history

The Burgers family: From Boven Digul and No. 18 Squadron to Cowra

The history of the Burgers and Hevel families connects several important chapters in Dutch, Indonesian and Australian history: the Boven Digul political prisoners’ camp in Dutch New Guinea, No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF, the Indonesian struggle for independence and the Indonesian graves at Cowra. This article introduces a Read more

By DACC, 3 weeksSeptember 20, 2026 ago

Personal stories

Graham Gosewinckel AO – A descendant of one of Australia’s early Dutch families

Dr William Graham Gosewinckel AO was a descendant of one of Australia’s early Dutch settler families and went on to become one of the nation’s most influential telecommunications pioneers. As the founding Chief Executive of AUSSAT, Australia’s first domestic satellite communications company, he helped lay the foundations for Australia’s modern Read more

By DACC, 3 monthsJuly 8, 2026 ago

DAAAG

Cora Baldock Emeritus Professor– Murdoch University, Western Australia

Cora Baldock was born on 16 December 1935 in Rotterdam as Corrie Vellekoop, the youngest of three children. Her father, Cornelis Vellekoop, was also born in Rotterdam and worked for the Norwegian Consulate there. His job meant that as a young girl Corrie frequently met Norwegian people, who usually communicated Read more

By DACC, 4 monthsJune 5, 2026 ago

Aviation and Shipping

No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF during World War II

The 18 Netherlands East Indies squadron RAAF was established on April 4 1942 They destroyed many Japanese operations on NEI, sunk 6 Japanese ships and numerous smaller boats.

By DACC, 6 monthsApril 15, 2026 ago

Aviation and Shipping

Uiver Restoration Project – Albury NSW – August 2026 newsletter added

The Uiver Memorial Community Trust – a not-for-profit organisation – is devoted to restoring Albury’s Uiver Memorial DC-2 aircraft. In 1934 the MacRobertson Air Race proclaimed itself as the greatest international air race devised, and history has confirmed that bold claim. The aircrews that completed the journey from England to Read more

By DACC, 9 monthsJanuary 11, 2026 ago

Maritime History

From warship to Luna Park: the remarkable afterlife of Dutch submarine K-XII

From warship to Luna Park: the remarkable afterlife of Dutch submarine K-XII The wartime story of the Dutch submarine HNLMS K-XII is reasonably well known among naval historians, but its Australian afterlife is one of the most unusual episodes in Dutch–Australian maritime history. Few Allied submarines ended their days as Read more

By DACC, 11 monthsNovember 20, 2025 ago