.Willem Krins, born on 4 June 1907 in Dordrecht, he married Johanna Paulina van Roijen on 23 December 1931 in The Hague. They had at least 1 son. Willem passed away on 1 November 1980 in Templestowe, Victoria, Australia, at 73 years old and was buried in Templestowe Cemetery. Willem Read more…
John Rothwell, who anglicised his Dutch name, is the co-founder and chairman of Austal Limited. Rothwell’s leadership and vision were instrumental in transforming Austal into a global leader in shipbuilding. In 1990, John Rothwell penned a strategic paper that would shape the future of Austal. In this document, Rothwell outlined Read more…
The Dutch merchant vessel Maetsuyker, weighing 4,131 tons, played a significant role during World War II. It managed to escape from the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) to the safety of Fremantle, Australia, just before the final surrender on Java Island. This article traces the journey of the Maetsuyker as it Read more…
In 1932, a daring attempt to circumnavigate the globe by air turned into a harrowing survival story for German pilot Hans Bertram and mechanic Adolph Klausmann. Their journey in the Junkers W 33 seaplane, Atlantis, registration D-1925, took an unexpected turn when they were forced to make an emergency landing Read more…
On the night of the 28 April 1656, the Vergulde Draeck struck a submerged coral reef midway between what are now the coastal towns of Seabird and Ledge Point, Western Australia. On board were 193 crew, eight boxes of silver coins worth 78,600 guilders and trade goods to the value Read more…
Bega aims to become Australia’s most circular economy by 2030, inspired by pioneering Dutch practices. The concept of circularity, which involves keeping materials in use at their highest value, designing out waste, and regenerating natural systems, has taken root in Bega, following the Dutch model. Circularity is described as a Read more…
When she was built in 1930, she was the largest ship yet built by the Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Maatschappij. She had berths for 770 passengers: 366 in first class, 280 in second, 64 in third and 60 in fourth class. She had berths for 360 crew. She had four decks and Read more…
During the final months of World War II, the Australian 460 Lancaster Squadron played a pivotal role in Operation Manna, a humanitarian mission that delivered desperately needed food to the starving people of the Netherlands. During the harsh winter of 1944-1945 the Dutch population endured a major famine. Known as Read more…
On February 28, 1942, Japanese troops rapidly advanced through northern Java, quickly occupying airfields and towns. Within hours, they were only 50km from Andir Airport (Bandung) in West Java, where five civilian Royal Netherlands Indies Airways (KNILM) planes were based. Only the next day did the Dutch Government in Exile Read more…
Barenbrug Australia, a subsidiary of the Royal Barenbrug Group, plays a significant role in the Australian agricultural sector. The Royal Barenbrug Group, headquartered in the Netherlands, was founded in 1904 by Joseph Barenbrug and has since become a global leader in grass and legume seed research, development, production, and marketing. Read more…