This article (English and Dutch versions) was written and shared with DACC by Keith Paulusse. The Dutch text is below the English text. I had the incredible opportunity to hear a remarkable story from one of her grandchildren. Annie Rijs, the driving force behind Patties Foods, the well-known manufacturer of Read more
Peter Sitsen (Bergen op Zoom, November 1, 1885 – Sydney, January 21, 1945) , a Dutch architect and civil administrator, was due to play a pivotal role in the operations of the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA) in Brisbane during World War II when he arrived in Sydney on 21 January Read more
Margaretha Hanen OAM (née Maas) was a social worker whose concern about the lack of specialist services available to ageing South Australians from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds sparked change in this sector. Early years in the Netherlands Margaretha was born in Oldenboorn in the northern Dutch province of Friesland Read more
Frank Zindler is a Dutch migrant and artist who is primarily known for having married Maria (Ria) Scholte, the 50,000th Dutch migrant to Australia. Early years in Indonesia and Australia Frank was born in Java in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) on 20 May 1932. He grew up in Read more
In 1954 Maria Agnes Scholte (known as Ria) became the 50,000 Dutch person to migrate to Australia. Scholte was born in Amsterdam in the early 1930s and worked as a hairdresser prior to emigrating. She was twenty years old when she left the Netherlands for Australia. Emigration Ria departed from Read more
Nando Boers’ second novel Breng me thuis (‘Take me home’, 2020) tells the story of a Dutch family that moves to Australia in the 1990s but struggles to reconcile with this country as their new home. A young Dutch couple, Hector and Anna, turn to Australia as a place to Read more
Liefs van je Leen (loosely translated: ‘With love, your Leen’) is a Dutch-language historical romance novel written by Hilde Veeren. Published in 2025, the novel is based on the true story of Veeren’s grandparents. Liefs van je Leen begins in 1939 on the island of Celebes in the colonial Dutch Read more
The World Solar Challenge is a biannual race in outback Australia that aims to promote the development of solar-powered vehicles. The Challenge was first held in 1987 and draws teams from all over the world, including the Netherlands. About the World Solar Challenge Participants in the World Solar Challenge (teams Read more
Sara’s Walkabout (2020) by Inez van Loon is a Dutch-language historical fiction novel for young adults. It tells the story of Sara, a thirteen year old Dutch girl who emigrates from the Netherlands to Australia by sea with her parents and younger brother in 1959. Unlike her younger brother, who Read more
For many Australians with Dutch heritage, learning the language can be a meaningful way to connect with family roots and cultural traditions. Based in Canberra, Dutch language learners have the opportunity to join courses online at Access Art Academy, a mother-and-daughter team of Marion Verbruggen and Marianne Mettes. A Passion Read more