Abraham Leeman van Santwitz (Santwits, Santwijk), a 17th-century Dutch sailor, embodies the spirit of resilience and leadership in the face of overwhelming adversity. His experiences as a navigator with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) are a testament to the perils and challenges of maritime exploration during this era, particularly Read more
New Zealand-based author Rüdiger Mack is releasing a new book about Dutch navigator Abel Tasman (1603-1659). Titled First Encounters: The Early Pacific and European Narratives of Abel Tasman’s 1642 Voyage, Mack’s 348-page book takes a new look at the beginnings of contacts between the Dutch and Indigenous peoples in Australia, Read more
Australian Shipbuilding Industries Ltd (ASI) was founded by Dutch Australian brother Dirk and Nick Verboon. Historian Nonja Peters wrote in her PhD thesis that “Dirk Verboon was a Netherlands trained marine engineer and he found his way back into boat building more by chance than design. ‘When dad came to Read more
Republished with permission. Section one from the book: A Touch of Dutch. For the full pdf of the book click here. Introduction chapters of the book: Touch of Dutch See also: Following the Dutch VOC Seafarers About the author Dr Nonja Peters is a historian, anthropologist and museum curator whose research Read more
The KPM motor ship Maetsuycker had two distinct roles during the Pacific War. After escaping from the Netherlands East Indies, she operated from Australia as a troop and supply transport supporting Allied operations in New Guinea. In 1944 she was converted into a hospital ship and began evacuating sick and Read more
This is a timeline of the build-up to and recorded events of Australia’s earliest maritime history. It Includes the ‘Australia On The Map (AOTM) Landings List 1606 – 1814’ from Willem Janszoon* to Louis de Freycinet and Matthew Flinders. It is a database of concise information about landings on and Read more
Coordinating author and editor: Dr Nonja Peters | University of Western Australia Press, 2006 | 422 pages Published to commemorate 400 years of recorded Dutch-Australian contact, The Dutch Down Under, 1606–2006 brings together contributions from 23 authors examining the historical, social and cultural relationships between the Netherlands and Australia. Coordinated Read more
On the night of the 28 April 1656, the Vergulde Draeck struck a submerged coral reef midway between what are now the coastal towns of Seabird and Ledge Point, Western Australia. On board were 193 crew, eight boxes of silver coins worth 78,600 guilders and trade goods to the value Read more
The Vergulde Draeck sailed from the Netherlands bound for Batavia. The ship foundered in 1656 at Ledge Point, near the mouth of Moore River, leaving 68 survivors stranded. In 1658, two ships were sent to attempt a rescue. Aboard one of the ships, the Waeckende Boey, was officer-navigator Abraham Leeman van Santwits. This Read more
A country’s toponyms has many hidden complexities. For example, some name-forms can deceive theunwary in terms of their origins and meanings. Australia’s toponymy is a good case in point.Many of Australia’s toponyms are transparent as to their etymologies, such as, Port Macquarie (NSW),Sandy Bay (TAS), whilst others are more opaque, Read more