Post-war Dutch migration to Australia reshaped not only industry and housing but also community life. Football became one of the most effective ways for Dutch migrants to build social networks, maintain cultural continuity, and integrate into Australian society. In Sydney, one of the clubs that emerged from this environment was Read more
Introduction The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme occupies a central place in Australia’s postwar history. Conceived as a nation-building project, it reshaped Australia’s energy and water systems while simultaneously transforming the country’s demographic profile. Between the late 1940s and the 1970s, the Scheme attracted tens of thousands of workers, the majority Read more
Introduction In the decades following the Second World War, Canberra became home to a growing number of Dutch migrants. As in other parts of Australia, football (soccer) played an important role in helping these newcomers build social networks, preserve cultural familiarity and gradually integrate into Australian society. In Canberra, Dutch Read more
When I walked into the Grand View Hotel in Wentworth Falls in the NSW Blue Mountains to have drink on a Saturday evening, I noticed a painting of recently nicely restored hotel painted by James Willebrant. Having the DACC in mind I wanted to see if there was a Dutch Read more
On 28 October 1945, a Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEI-AF) B-25J Mitchell bomber was forced to ditch in tidal waters in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. The aircraft, serial N5-254 (USAAF 44-30900), came down in the Glenelg River system north of Broome, although some contemporary sources refer Read more
This article is based on personal documents, military records and a recorded wartime interview provided by Elva Mary Bennett’s son, Russ Morison, together with supporting Australian and Dutch archival sources. The wartime history of the Bennett–van der Land–Morison family connects Australia, the Netherlands, the Netherlands East Indies, Burma and the Read more
Dutch migrants Annie and Peter Rijs founded Australian food company Patties Foods. Anna Maria (Annie) Rijs, née Vogels, was born in Haarlem on 15 August 1921. She was the youngest of three children, with older siblings Jan and Corrie. The family later moved to Amersfoort where Annie attended school. Piet Read more
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
This article is based on detailed historical notes generously provided by the Drijver family, who have preserved accounts shared privately by Robbie (Rob) Drijver in the final years of his life after the expiry of his wartime secrecy obligations. The history of Dutch Australians during the Second World War contains Read more
The following text is from a booklet published by the Federation of Netherlands Societies Ltd. in February 1985. The research for this booklet was done by Mijntje Hage Initially, there were several small Dutch clubs in the various immigrant hostels in and around Newcastle, with Camp Greta being one of the bigger Read more