Book by Rupert Gerritsen, 2015 Introduction This book brings together a selection of stories about Australia’s early, and neglected, maritime history. They were written by Rupert Gerritsen R.O.N. for a general audience, and their publication here celebrates his life and achievements before his untimely death in 2013. Rupert’s mission was Read more
The Dutch Republic has sent representatives to foreign lands since 1584 and it was the first country to regulate consular services by statute. After the restoration of Dutch independence in 1813, consular services were revived in 1814 (with additional regulations in 1846 and 1874). The Netherlands was among the many Read more
The origin from the current club lay with the Wilhelmina Club and the Football Club Hollandia, who shared resources. They split in 1960 and it looks like the club slowly disappeared. Together with a friend I started the current Canberra Dutch club in 1970, It grew exponential and after many Read more
Bambu Magazine In April 1995 a small group of Indische mensen’ (people born in Indonesia), such as Rob Elstak, Eric & Rob Marcus, Leo Vandersar, Jan Schmieman and Andreas Flach, came together in Cairns and founded the ‘Dutch Indonesian. Association – Melati’ (Jasmine). Andreas Flach became the editor of the Read more
Like everywhere else in Australia there is also a rich history of the Dutch in Queensland. Many Dutch people settled here after WWII. The Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile was based in Wacol, Brisbane and that also resulted in Dutch people staying or coming to Brisbane immediately after the war. In Read more
Born in Utrecht in the Netherlands in December 1918, Gerardus Dusseldorp was known as Dik as a child, the anglicised version of which stuck with him for the rest of his life. At the age of 15, he enrolled as a marine cadet, with the aim of becoming a captain Read more
The origins of the Brisbane Lions can be traced back to the founding of Hollandia-Inala F.C. by Dutch immigrants in 1957. From the beginning they were based on land in the Brisbane suburb of Darra and then moved to Pine Road, Richlands.
Personal story from Bert van Wijk. Source; 150 years Richlands, Inala & Neighbouring Suburbs in Brisbane’s South West by Vicki Mynott, 2009 See other personal stories.
Julius Tahija (13 July 1916 – 30 July 2002) was an Ambonese soldier, intelligence operative, politician and businessman whose remarkable wartime career linked the Netherlands East Indies, Australia and the Allied intelligence war against Japan. Serving with the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL), he distinguished himself during the Japanese Read more
Nicholas Dijkstra tells the story about flying in formation under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In May 1942, two US ‘Kittyhawks’ flew under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Nobody had done that before! Several Dutch and Dutch East Indies KLM and KNILM pilots were to make a short flight over Sydney for Read more