Vale – on behalf of the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre Dear Anita, family and staff of the Dutch Shop, It is with sadness that we learned of the passing of Jan van Altena. Jan was a well-known and highly respected Dutch migrant whose contribution extended far beyond Sydney. Through his Read more
The State Library of Western Australia (SLWA) holds an extensive collection of publications, oral histories, photographs, personal documents and research material associated with Dutch-Australian historian Dr Nonja Peters. The two catalogues presented below provide complementary ways of exploring these holdings. The first is a broad catalogue of material associated with Read more
In the quiet suburb of Klemzig, just outside of Adelaide, a little slice of the Netherlands is thriving thanks to the passion and heritage of Angela Leaney. Born to Dutch-speaking parents who migrated to Australia in 1956—her father from Tilburg and her mother from Utrecht—Angela grew up in a household Read more
We are trying to get information and foto’s on the Zuiderzee (or Zuider Zee) Restaurant that was situated on Ferny Ave in Surfers Paradise. Unconfirmed information indicates it was established in the 1950 possibly by the van Egmond Family. After it stopped operating as a restaurant it became the clubhouse Read more
Clogs and Dutch are ideas that belong together, largely due to the success of marketing by the Dutch Tourism industry. A more or less unique product and a more or less unique people – a marketers dream combination. Reality is quite different. Very few Dutch migrants brought clogs with them, Read more
Ruben (Ruud) Rubens Ruben (Ruud) Rubens was born in Amsterdam on 3 September 1917 and died in Melbourne on 7 November 1993. After completing his high school education (MULO), he became a bicycle dealer and sales representative. He was an active sportsman—an accomplished sailor, swimmer, and soccer player—and even played Read more
The 1960s and 70s were the heydays of Dutch shops around the country. The key importers and wholesalers at that time were: • Rubsons Pty Ltd established by Ruben Rubens in Victoria, Tasmania & Canberra;• The Mannassen family in NSW & ACT;• Centra – by the family van Straalen in Read more
From the Netherlands to Tasmania The Sypkes family made a significant contribution to Tasmania’s post-war economic development, particularly through the introduction of self-service supermarkets, discount retailing, property development and investment in technology businesses. The family’s Australian story began with Engel Sypkes (1921–2015), who migrated from the Netherlands to Tasmania in Read more
The Hazebroek family emigrated to Australia in 1952 on the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. They brought their furniture-making equipment with them in the ship’s hold and used it to establish a furniture factory in Perth. The patriarch of the family, Pieter Hazebroek, had been a master carpenter and furniture maker in Read more
From Friesland to Tasmania Roelf Vos (1921–1992) was a Dutch-Australian entrepreneur who established one of Tasmania’s most successful supermarket chains. His business activities helped transform food retailing in northern Tasmania and subsequently expanded into property development, tourism and construction. Vos was born on 4 October 1921 at Bergum (now Burgum), Read more