Dutch-Australian Society ‘Abel Tasman” and the tulip festival
BLUE GUM, TULIP & SPRING FESTIVALS From the newsletter of the DAS (Dutch-Australian Society), the Tasman Telegraphs, I have noted the following:[reporting of events the DAS usually lacked pertinent details, as if these facts were common knowledge. In some years there was simply no report. Below is not a selection, Read more
Dutch-Tasmania books
Shaping Kingston – The story of God’s children in Kingston especially focussing on the Reformed Church – written by Historian Kees Wierenga – $40 plus postage Copies of this book are held by the State Library of Tasmania. Copies may also be obtained from the author, as noted above. The Read more
Eulogy Bart Jan Folkerts – 1999
We praise God for the life and witness ofBart Jan Folkerts18 September 1911 to 24 October 1999 An Association [Christian Parent-Controlled Schools] Founder and Gold Member“Now with the Lord he loved and served … a man of strength,courage and determination, a fighter for what he believed in.” “My Grace is Read more
George Huizing Honorary Consul Tasmania
George Huizing 8/9/1938 – 27/12/2016 A newspaper clipping on my desk reminds of the last time I saw George. The clipping concerns a lost property title, in the parish of Lorainah. Property belonging to JKF von Schmidt. I quickly dropped an email to the owner – “where is Lorainah?” JKF, Read more
Dutch connection for Australian high jumper Nicola Olyslagers
Nicola Lauren Olyslagers (née McDermott) (born 28 December 1996) is an Australian high jumper. She won the silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the bronze medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in the high jump. Olyslagers is the current high jump Oceanian record holder, and the world Read more
Community music, identity and belonging among Dutchies in Australia.
This article discusses the experiences of Dutch identity and belonging to a music-making group in the Dutch migrant community in Melbourne, Australia. The article shows how making music together can bridge generational, gender and class differences. Multiculturalism empowered the participants to explore their dual identity as Dutch Australians, intersecting with Read more
The Life and Legacy of Dien Knol – Freese (1905 – 2001)
Born on December 15, 1905, in Groningen, the Netherlands, Berendina Annagena (Dien) Knol (née Freese) led a remarkable life marked by resilience, faith, and service. Her family migrated to Australia in 1928 after her father, Jurjen Peter Freese, faced financial ruin in the Netherlands. Dien, aged 23 at the time, Read more
Dick Diamonde (1947-2024)
Dingeman Adriaan Henry van der Sluijs, better known by his stage name Dick Diamonde, was a Dutch Australian bass player. Born in the Dutch town Hilversum, Diamonde emigrated to Australia with his parents when he was four years old. The family lived in the Villawood migrant hostel in western Sydney Read more
Dutch Soccer Legacy in Eastern Melbourne: From Wilhelmina to Ringwood City FC
The late 1950s and early 1960s marked a significant period in eastern Melbourne’s soccer history, as Wilhelmina emerged as a prominent club, laying the foundation for a cluster of local district clubs with strong Dutch influence. These clubs, including Hollandia, Fern Tree, Ringwood United, and Mooroolbark, thrived with Dutch backing, Read more









