Dutch – Australian History Archives - Page 3 of 132

KNILM: The Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij and its Australian Connection

A pioneering Netherlands East Indies airline The Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij, commonly known as KNILM, was the principal civil airline of the Netherlands East Indies. It was established on 16 July 1928, initially as the Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij. The company later received the royal designation Koninklijke. Despite the similarity of Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksOctober 2, 2026 ago

Aviation and Shipping

The Dutch at Archerfield Airport, Brisbane, 1934–1947

From De Uiver to the Netherlands East Indies transport squadrons Archerfield Airport occupies a distinctive place in Dutch–Australian aviation history. Its association with the Netherlands began with the celebrated visit of the KLM airliner De Uiver in 1934 and expanded through the pre-war services of the Royal Netherlands Indies Airways Read more

By Dutch Australian Cultural Centre, 2 weeksOctober 2, 2026 ago

Military and Political History

No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF: Dutch Kittyhawks over New Guinea

Rebuilding a Dutch fighter force Following the Japanese conquest of the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942, Dutch military aviation had to be rebuilt from personnel and aircraft scattered across Australia and the United States. The immediate priority was the formation of No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF, which Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksOctober 1, 2026 ago

Military and Political History

No. 119 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF: the Dutch bomber squadron that never became operational

Plans for a second Dutch bomber squadron No. 119 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF was formed in Canberra in September 1943 as a proposed second Dutch–Australian B-25 Mitchell bomber squadron. It was intended to reinforce No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF and expand Dutch participation in Allied air operations Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksOctober 1, 2026 ago

Aviation and Shipping

Dutch dredging in Australia – Research Portal

Dutch dredging companies, engineers and workers have made an important contribution to Australia’s maritime and industrial development. This history encompasses the supply of Dutch-built machinery, the establishment of Australian subsidiaries, major port and reclamation projects, and the organised migration of skilled workers and their families. This portal brings together the Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksOctober 1, 2026 ago

Migration history

Interview: Henk Mollee – Hollandia Soccer Club – F.C. Lions

Australia is a land of immigrants. I am an immigrant, and you, dear reader, are probably too. High levels of immigration in the years before 1891 resulted in 32% of the population listed as overseas-born in Australia’s first country-wide census in 1891. These numbers decreased substantially in the first half Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksOctober 1, 2026 ago

Maritime History

The Dutch tanker Ondina: From an unequal sea battle to Allied service at Exmouth Gulf

The Dutch tanker Ondina played an exceptional role in the Allied war effort from Australia during the Second World War. She survived an unequal battle with two heavily armed Japanese commerce raiders, returned under her own power to Fremantle and subsequently served as a floating fuel depot for Allied submarines Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksSeptember 30, 2026 ago

Dutch businesses in Australia

HAM and the creation of Kwinana: Dutch dredging expertise in Western Australia

The development of Kwinana as one of Western Australia’s principal industrial centres depended on the creation of deep-water access for large ocean-going ships. A major part of this work was entrusted to the Dutch dredging contractor Hollandsche Aanneming Maatschappij, generally known as HAM. The Kwinana undertaking was separate from the Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksSeptember 30, 2026 ago

Aviation and Shipping

From Sliedrecht to VolkerWessels: the Dutch companies behind Australian Dredging and General Works

Australian Dredging and General Works was established in 1950 through the cooperation of two longstanding Dutch civil-engineering companies: Adriaan Volker’s Maatschappij tot het Uitvoeren van Openbare Werken and Van Hattum & Blankevoort. Both businesses had grown from nineteenth-century contracting enterprises into internationally active engineering organisations. Their Australian joint venture combined Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksSeptember 30, 2026 ago

Dutch businesses in Australia

Australian Dredging and General Works (1950–2011): Dutch engineering in post-war Australia

Australian Dredging and General Works Pty Ltd was established in 1950 to bring Dutch dredging expertise, equipment and skilled personnel to Australia. Initially based in Williamstown, Victoria, the company was an Australian subsidiary jointly associated with two established Dutch civil-engineering businesses: Adriaan Volker’s Maatschappij tot het Uitvoeren van Openbare Werken Read more

By DACC, 2 weeksSeptember 30, 2026 ago