By Susanne Ruijs I arrived with my family in Australia in July 1980. Our family consisted of my husband Hein and me and our four children Eva (12), Saskia (11), Thomas (9) and Christine (6). Hein had been offered a position as lecturer in Hospitality at the then Agricultural College Read more
Evert van Hummel was born in Baarn in the Netherlands on 29 January 1916. Evert Herman Van Hummel (some called him Evert others called him Herman) left high school at the age of 15, because he was fascinated by engines. He first worked as an apprentice car mechanic at a Read more
Two Dutchmen who are members of the same extended family – although three generations apart – made noticeable contributions to Australian culture, by just going about their business. One was artist Jan Hendrik Scheltema, who migrated to Australia in the 19th century. The other was his great-nephew Cas Jeekel, who Read more
Professor Tom Calma was named Senior Australian of the Year 2023. Professor Calma became the Chancellor of the University of Canberra in January 2014. He is an elder of the Kungarakan people and member of the Iwaidja people. He is also proud to share that his heritage is 75% Indigenous Read more
Written by his daughter Wilma Summerville Kornelius Berend Lumkes ( 26/2/1911 to 13/7/1984) son of Willem Lumkes was born in Groningen, Netherlands. His parents were old at his birth and his only sibling was 16 years older. His family were quite affluent and had a large grain farm. The house Read more
Auschwitz survivor David Groenteman , born in 1923 in Amsterdam ended up as an eighteen-year-old Jewish boy In Auschwitz, where he had to carry away corpses, bury them and scoop coal for twelve hours in the bitter cold. After the war he fled from those painful memories. After the Germans Read more
Marta Dusseldorp (born 1 February 1973), the granddaughter of Dick Dusseldorp, the founder of Lend Lease. Martha is an Australian stage, film and theatre actress. Her television credits include BlackJack, Crownies (and its spin-off Janet King), Jack Irish and A Place to Call Home. Her story is told in the Read more
Guillaume Daniel Delprat was a metallurgist, businessman and mining engineer. He was born in Delft on 1 September 1856 to Major General Felix Albert Theodore Delprat (1812-1888; later the Dutch minister of war) and Elisabeth Francina, née van Santen Kolff. After completing high school in Amsterdam, Delprat began an engineering Read more
Personal recollections Camp Columbia – Jean van Schilfgaarde The information below is the exact text of a letter from Jean van Schilfgaarde to Dr Jack Ford in 1992. Jack had contacted her for his research for his publication: Allies in bind: Australia and the Netherlands East Indies relations during World War Two. This Read more
Akky van Ogtrop graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, s-Hertogenbosch, TheNetherlands, majoring in printmaking, and has a Masters Degree Fine Arts, Sydney University. As a director and project manager of major arts events, Akky has worked for national andinternational arts organisations including: the Biennale of Sydney, ARTiculate Campaign, Read more