‘Moving Home’ is a large-scale art installation and documentary project that exploresthemes of belonging and displacement through the physical relocation of a Queenslanderhouse from Brisbane, Australia to Eindhoven, The Netherlands. By dissecting the home’sfunction as a dwelling, an artefact, and a symbol of white settler identity, the projectengages with contemporary Read more…
Westlanders in Australia is a documentary that tells the story of the Looyen family’s migration to Australia, as seen through the eyes of three generations. This “ordinary Dutch family” built a new life in Australia by establishing their own business and raising children, who in turn started families of their Read more…
With a hat tip to Tony Cunneen in Sydney, we were made aware of a folder in the National Archives of Australia: Netherlands Legation – Tasman Tercentennial (NAA: A6661.180). It begins with suggestions made in April 1942 to find an appropriate way to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Abel Tasman’s Read more…
The Holland Festival has been held in Melbourne each year for 40 years until 2014. After a three years hiatus, the Festival returned in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024 and 2025. It is managed by the Rotary Club of Casey under the leadership of Paul Rubens. Holland Festival Management Committee Read more…
The podcast JOS is an introspective exploration of Nienke Teunissen’s quest to uncover the life of her grandfather, Jos Teunissen, who passed away long before she was born. In 1956, at the age of 24, Jos and his wife Josee (who was then 19 years old) migrated to Australia on Read more…
This year, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a momentous milestone in Australia’s history and the conclusion of the war in the Pacific. Brisbane played a pivotal role as a strategic hub for Allied operations, cementing its place in global wartime history. The Camp Read more…
Beeb Birtles, born Gerard Bertelkamp on November 28, 1948, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is a celebrated musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. As a founding member of iconic bands such as Zoot, Mississippi, and the Little River Band, Birtles has left an indelible mark on the music industry, both in Australia and 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…
Calvin School- the why and the consequences In the 1950s, education of children was the joint responsibility of the State and the local Municipality. The State provided the buildings, the teachers and the curriculum. The Municipal Councillors enforced truancy regulations , and managed requests for absences (because mum was sick Read more…
Are you interested in your Dutch Australian family history? Did your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents migrate to Australia from the Netherlands? Or maybe you migrated to Australia from the Netherlands yourself and want to research your family history but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Read more…