For many years it was a forgotten day in the Dutch and Australian history books.This year a few of the survivors of the Japanese attack on Broome harbour revisted Broome for the first time. They came from far to remember that fateful day when 88 people people died in Broome Read more…
The “First Contact Memorial” was unveiled in Mapoon (QLD) on 27 May 2013 by Australian and Dutch officials. It was the first point of contact for Europeans and Aboriginal people in 1606 which ended badly. In three years time (2016) we will be remembering the voyage of Dirk Hartog to Read more…
How much Dutch and Australian history are intertwined is clear from an entertaining interview Peter gave to SBS Radio /Dutch broadcaster Anneke Boudewijn. The third and final installment goes to air Monday 4.4.11. This is a YouTube video. After playing the video, press the return button to go back to Read more…
If a Dutch fort and gallows were the first permanent European structures on Australian soil – why aren’t the Dutch granted a more prominent place in Australia’s history books? Peter FitzSimons’ book ‘Batavia’ is the result of years of research here and in The Netherlands. ‘Batavia’ is now being translated Read more…
Most of Dutch history in Australia is linked to its explorers charting the country to the north, west and south. Shipwrecks from the Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (VOC- Dutch East Indie Company) along the West Australian Coast adds another level to the story. The drama of the Batavia is an Read more…
At the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Britain together with its other allies defeated France. After the victory Britain went on for another 100 years of being the global superpower. However, during that period it remained very fearful of France and a range of minor wars were fought during the Read more…
