Despite the poor level of language retention among the descendants of the Netherlands-born, Dutch remains an important community language in Sydney. In 2002 a new Dutch syllabus was introduced to the New South Wales Higher School Certificate. However, the number of students sitting for Dutch exams at the end of Read more…
Two Dutchmen, both passed way, members of the same extended family, yet three generations apart, made a noticeable contribution to Australian culture, by just going about their business. The artist Jan Hendrik Scheltema migrated here in the 19th century, and the other was his great-nephew Cas Jeekel, who just visited Read more…
The first edition of the song book ” Kun je nog zingen zing dan mee” (If you can still sing, sing along) was published in 1906 and the book has had numerous editions since. It is one of the most published books in Dutch publishing., with over a million copies Read more…
The Bible was donated to the DACC by Ellie Zinsmeester. It dates from 1768 and was deaccessioned (officially disposed off) by the church around 1940. It was brought to Australia when Ellie’s father migrated to Australia. Karma Rowe from the Dutch Genealogy Group, who previously restored some books for the Read more…
DACC researchers came across ‘The Dutch Club’ in Sydney. There are no records of this club, further research revealed that the Dutch Club of Sydney and the restaurant The Flying Dutchman in the City (Elizabeth Street) are always mentioned together. The restaurant was run by famous Dutchman Dick Groenteman. It Read more…
After a Covid initiated break of 2 years, on January I, 2023 Bondi Beach Australia turned orange again, also this year organised by Dutch Travel. Under different climate conditions the original event in Scheveningen takes place under more severe conditions. Afterwards the participants do get erwtensoep met UNOX rookworst Read more…
There is an episode in the letters from Dutch-Australian painter Jan Hendrik Scheltema (JHS) – who we discuss extensively elsewhere – where he wrote having been asked by the Dutch Consul to become a committee member < with some title >, looking after ART to help import Dutch Art, including Read more…
Written by his daughter Wilma Summerville Kornelius Berend Lumkes ( 26/2/1911 to 13/7/1984) son of Willem Lumkes was born in Groningen, Netherlands. His parents were old at his birth and his only sibling was 16 years older. His family were quite affluent and had a large grain farm. The house Read more…
Auschwitz survivor David Groenteman , born in 1923 in Amsterdam ended up as an eighteen-year-old Jewish boy In Auschwitz, where he had to carry away corpses, bury them and scoop coal for twelve hours in the bitter cold. After the war he fled from those painful memories. After the Germans Read more…
Marta Dusseldorp (born 1 February 1973), the granddaughter of Dick Dusseldorp, the founder of Lend Lease. Martha is an Australian stage, film and theatre actress. Her television credits include BlackJack, Crownies (and its spin-off Janet King), Jack Irish and A Place to Call Home. Her story is told in the Read more…