Dr. Cornelis Wouters was the founder of the Dutch Folk Dance Group, a group of over 30 enthusiastic Dutch immigrants (later joined by Australians who married Dutch immigrants). They performed folkloric dances at charitable association gatherings. No other group could boast such original national costumes, as all Dutch regional costumes Read more…
Dorothy De Rooy (Vidgen) is a former professional surfer and champion who was born in Breda, Netherlands in 1948. When she was three years old, her family immigrated to Australia, and they eventually settled in Mona Vale, where her maternal grandparents were already living. Dorothy attended Mona Vale Public School Read more…
‘Aan de rand der wereld. Een Hollandse emigrant in Australië’ with a foreword written by B.W. Haveman, Regeringscommissaris voor de Emigratie (Government Commissioner for Emigration) was published in Dokkum by Schaafsma & Brouwer in 1953. The book is written by Jan D. Rempt, a Dutch journalist who immigrated to Australia Read more…
John “Jack” Pannenburg was born in1946 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. His family immigrated to Australia when he was young, and he grew up in Mount Gambier, South Australia. Pannenburg was a talented footballer, and he joined West Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in 1966. Read more…
A Book Review: Written Portraits of Dutch Migrant Priests in Australia The book Geschreven portretten van Nederlandse emigrantenpriesters in Australië, translates to Written portraits of Dutch migrant priests in Australia in English. It was edited and adapted by J.W.P. Elferink from the original manuscripts of Theo van der Meel, a Read more…
Annemieke Mein was born in Haarlem, in 1944. Her Dutch heritage has had a significant influence on her art. Growing up in the Netherlands had a profound impact on her appreciation for nature and the environment. She spent much of her childhood exploring her grandparents’ garden in the Netherlands and Read more…
In the 1950s, Dr. Cornelis Wouters advocated for more attention to be given to the culture of the countries from which many immigrants had settled in Australia, in the country’s education system. He argued that this could be achieved by broadening the curriculum to include lessons in languages other than Read more…
Ingrid Huisken is a Dutch-Australian former netball player who had a successful career playing for both Australia and the Netherlands. She was born on January 16, 1961, in Leiden. Her family migrated to Australia when she was 12 years old in 1973. Ingrid began her netball career playing for the Read more…
The long Dutch relationship with Southeast Brisbane began during World War II, when in 1942 the Americans established Camp Columbia in Wacol, Brisbane to stop the Japanese advance in the Southwest Pacific. The camp became the staging ground for the American campaign, covering an area of 20 by 15 square Read more…
Peter Tangelder is a former Dutch-Australian discus thrower who had a successful career in the sport. He was born on December 13, 1958, in the Netherlands, and migrated to Australia in the early 1980s. Tangelder was a member of the Australian athletics team for several years and competed in many Read more…