At the age of 11, Mary and her family relocated from Cairns, Australia, to the Netherlands to support the football aspirations of Mary and her siblings. They settled in cities such as Rotterdam and Arnhem, immersing themselves in the Dutch football culture. During this period, Mary played for BVV Barendrecht, Read more…
Mandi Langlar’s football journey reflects the contribution of Dutch migrants and their descendants to the development of Australian football, particularly on Sydney’s northern beaches. As a second-generation Dutch-Australian, Mandi carried forward a family passion for the game, achieving national honours at a time when women’s football was still fighting for Read more…
Frans van Balkom was born on 23 October 1939 in Kerkrade, Netherlands, in the heart of the Limburg coal mining region. Like many from his community, Frans worked as a coal miner in the Limburg mines before their closure in the 1960s. His work in the mines took a toll Read more…
Liz Elliott (née Vervoort) was born in 1956 in Venray, the Netherlands, where her parents ran a farm. Growing up as the only girl among six brothers, Liz developed her football skills in the backyard, playing alongside her siblings. Despite her enthusiasm, her father did not allow her to join Read more…
Johannes (John) de Roo (1924–2016) stands as a remarkable example of resilience, community spirit, and the enduring impact of Dutch migrants on Australian life. Born in Leiden, the Netherlands, on 6 June 1924, John grew up in a large working-class family. His early years were shaped by poverty during the Read more…
The earlier Dutch migrants that arrived in the late 1940’s had made several attempts to establish Dutch clubs in WA, such as the Dirck Hartogh Society and the Australian Dutch League, but these all folded after a short while. But during the early 1950’s the Dutch migrants arrived in larger Read more…
This painting is part of the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art, a showcase of outstanding work by senior high school students from across Queensland. The exhibition at the Queenland Gallery of Modern Art in 2025 celebrates young artists’ creative talents and their reflections on identity, agency and perspective. Read more…
A new, high-quality heritage display has been installed at the entrance to Pooh Corner Bushland Reserve, part of the former Camp Columbia site, in the south-west Brisbane suburb of Wacol. This location marks one of the last visible remnants of Camp Columbia. The new cabinet has been mounted on the Read more…
Renaye Iserief is a celebrated figure in the early history of Australian women’s football, but her story is also deeply tied to the broader Dutch-Australian migration narrative. She is one of two Dutch-Australian women — alongside Rose van Bruinessen — who proudly wore the green and gold as Matildas during Read more…
Henk Thijssens (1937–2020) was a cornerstone of the football community in Canberra — a respected referee, coach, and club volunteer whose Dutch-Australian journey reflected a life shaped by resilience, service, and love for the game. From Winterswijk to the world Henk was born in 1937 in Winterswijk, a town in Read more…