Archive Archives - Dutch Australia Cultural Centre

Dutch, Australian and Indonesian Agents: The NEI Section of Australia’s Secret War

During the Second World War, Dutch, Australian and Indonesian personnel worked together in a little-known series of clandestine operations against Japanese forces occupying the Netherlands East Indies. Their activities were organised through the Netherlands East Indies Section of the Inter-Allied Services Department (IASD), a secret Australian-based organisation responsible for intelligence Read more

By DACC, 3 hoursJuly 23, 2026 ago

Military and Political History

Charles van der Plas: colonial expert and advocate of gradual reform

Charles van der Plas: colonial expert, wartime administrator in Australia and advocate of gradual reform Charles Olke van der Plas (1891–1977) was one of the most experienced Dutch colonial administrators of the Netherlands East Indies. Born in Buitenzorg, now Bogor, in West Java, he developed a deep knowledge of Indonesian Read more

By DACC, 19 hoursJuly 22, 2026 ago

Aviation and Shipping

The Dutch Flying Boat Behind MacArthur: Identifying a Dornier on the Brisbane River

A photograph taken in Brisbane on 9 October 1943 captures three of the most senior American commanders in the Southwest Pacific: Admiral William F. Halsey, General Douglas MacArthur and Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender. The men were photographed at the US Naval Seaplane Base at Colmslie, which supported the US Read more

By DACC, 3 daysJuly 20, 2026 ago

Dutch Culture, Sport, and Religion in Australia

Yungaba Immigration Depot – Queensland’s First Welcome for Dutch Migrants

Situated on the Brisbane River at Kangaroo Point, Yungaba Immigration Depot was for more than a century the gateway through which thousands of migrants entered Queensland. While it welcomed people from many nations, Yungaba also occupies a special place in Dutch Australian history. For many Dutch migrants, it was their Read more

By DACC, 5 daysJuly 18, 2026 ago

Dutch businesses in Australia

ASML: Dutch Innovation with an Australian Footprint

When people think of Dutch companies in Australia, names such as Philips, Shell often come to mind. Yet another Dutch company has quietly become one of the most important technology businesses in the world. ASML, founded in the Netherlands in 1984, designs and manufactures the highly sophisticated lithography systems used Read more

By DACC, 6 daysJuly 17, 2026 ago

Dutch artefacts

Strengthening Dutch–Australian Heritage Cooperation: DACC’s Visit to the Netherlands

In June 2026, representatives of the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre (DACC) and the Camp Columbia Heritage Association (CCHA) visited the Netherlands as guests of the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE – Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands). While Camp Columbia formed the central focus of the visit, the discussions Read more

By DACC, 1 weekJuly 15, 2026 ago

Dutch businesses in Australia

Optiver – A Dutch financial technology company with its Asia-Pacific base in Sydney

The story of Dutch enterprise in Australia is often associated with shipping, manufacturing, agriculture, engineering and post-war migration. Optiver represents a much more recent chapter: the arrival of a Dutch company operating at the intersection of finance, mathematics and advanced computer technology. Founded in Amsterdam in 1986, Optiver has developed Read more

By DACC, 1 weekJuly 15, 2026 ago

Dutch businesses in Australia

From De Zilk to Monbulk: The Van Berkel Family and the Flowering of a Dutch-Australian Industry

Among the many Dutch families who helped shape post-war Australia, few have left such a lasting legacy as the Van Berkel family. Today, their name is synonymous with tulips, flower bulbs and horticulture in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. Yet behind this successful family business lies a remarkable migration story—one that begins Read more

By DACC, 1 weekJuly 14, 2026 ago

Migration history

Greta Migrant Camp – One of Australia’s Largest Post-war Reception Centres

Among Australia’s many post-war migrant reception centres, Greta Migrant Camp occupies a special place. Located in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, it was one of the country’s largest migrant camps and welcomed approximately 100,000 migrants between 1949 and 1960. For many newly arrived Europeans, Greta represented their first Read more

By DACC, 1 weekJuly 13, 2026 ago

Migration history

Rev. Cornelis (Cor) Uidam – Minister, Community Leader and Advocate for Dutch Migrants in Australia

Minister, migrant advocate and community builder The story of Dutch migration to Australia is often told through the experiences of the migrants themselves. Less well known are the men and women who helped them settle into their new country. Among the most influential was Rev. Drs. Cornelis (Cor) Uidam, a Read more

By DACC, 1 weekJuly 13, 2026 ago