John Van Hoek (1933–2016) was a passionate football coach, administrator, and community leader whose Dutch roots and tireless dedication helped shape the sporting landscape of Western Australia for over four decades. From Den Bosch to Ashfield Born in Den Bosch, the Netherlands, in 1933, John Van Hoek emigrated to Melbourne, Read more…
David Schrandt, born in Breda, the Netherlands in 1946, is a prominent figure in Western Australian football, known for his contributions both on and off the field. After emigrating to Australia, he grew up in Perth and began his football career as a goalkeeper, later transitioning to a striker. He Read more…
Tony Franken, born on 11 January 1965 in Perth, Western Australia, stands as one of Australia’s most accomplished goalkeepers — and a proud product of Dutch migrant heritage. Frank Franken His story begins with his father, Frank Franken, born in the Netherlands in 1935. Like many Dutch migrants who arrived Read more…
Hendrik “Henk” Beumer (1919–2000) was a pivotal figure in the development of soccer in Western Australia, particularly within the Dutch-Australian community. Born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, Beumer immigrated to Australia in 1950, a period marked by significant Dutch migration seeking new opportunities and contributing to Australia’s multicultural fabric. Founding of Read more…
Chris Wissink is a notable figure in Australian soccer, particularly within the Dutch-Australian community. Born in 1946 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, he emigrated with his family to Australia in 1954 and became a distinguished goalkeeper in Western Australia’s soccer scene. Club Career and Achievements Wissink’s soccer career in Australia was marked Read more…
Johannes (Joh) Oost (1928–2024), born in the Netherlands in 1928, led an extraordinary life that seamlessly blended his Dutch heritage with the adventurous spirit of an Australian migrant. His story is one of resilience, innovation, and enduring contributions to his adopted homeland. A Dutch foundation Born in the village of Read more…
The diary of G Rhee is quite unique because it was written in 1940. Gerard Rhee was one of the first Dutch migrants to Tasmania. There are interesting glimpses in this diary of a young man who fell in love with a local lass. Apart from notes about his courting, Read more…
De Andere Nederlanders – The Other Dutch is a compelling bilingual exhibition and publication that tells the often-overlooked story of the Indo-European (Indische) community: the descendants of Dutch colonisers and local Indonesians in the former Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. These “Other Dutch” developed a unique hybrid identity, blending European Read more…
By Di Gabb and Roberta Julian This chapter traces two distinct yet ideologically aligned waves of Dutch migration to Australia—one preceding World War I and another following World War II. Both were driven not by typical economic motives or adventure but by deeply held ideological or religious beliefs, making these Read more…
Robert de Jong was born in the Netherlands and spent most of his life in South Africa before emigrating to Townsville, Queensland, in 2011 to be with family. In 2016, he was appointed Managing Curator of the Maritime Museum of Townsville, a position through which he has highlighted the city’s Read more…