Tony Franken, born on 11 January 1965 in Perth, Western Australia, stands as one of Australia’s most accomplished goalkeepers — and a proud product of Dutch migrant heritage. Frank Franken His story begins with his father, Frank Franken, born in the Netherlands in 1935. Like many Dutch migrants who arrived Read more…
Rene de Koning is a Dutch-born footballer who made a significant impact on the Western Australian soccer scene as a versatile defender and midfielder. He was born in Nijmegen, 1963 emigrated to Western Australia with his family in 1980 and joined Bayswater as a schoolboy. At 17, he debuted in Read more…
Hendrik “Henk” Beumer (1919–2000) was a pivotal figure in the development of soccer in Western Australia, particularly within the Dutch-Australian community. Born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, Beumer immigrated to Australia in 1950, a period marked by significant Dutch migration seeking new opportunities and contributing to Australia’s multicultural fabric. Founding of Read more…
Chris Wissink is a notable figure in Australian soccer, particularly within the Dutch-Australian community. Born in 1946 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, he emigrated with his family to Australia in 1954 and became a distinguished goalkeeper in Western Australia’s soccer scene. Club Career and Achievements Wissink’s soccer career in Australia was marked Read more…
Jan (John) Morcus represents the spirit of Dutch migration that helped shape Brisbane’s football and community life. His passion for football, dedication to community building, and tireless volunteer work left an enduring legacy that continues today. John was born in the Netherlands, where his father Cor Morcus was a farmer Read more…
Founded in 1950 by Dutch immigrants led by Henk Beumer, the Windmills Soccer Club began as a recreational outlet for the local Dutch community in Perth. The club was accepted into the Third Division of the Western Australian Soccer Football Association (WASFA) in 1951 and steadily progressed, earning promotion to Read more…
In 1957, the Dutch Social Club of Mount Gambier established an amateur football team nicknamed Wit-Blauw (White-Blue), inspired by the colours of Dutch club De Graafschap. Coached by Tony Mulders, the team was multicultural but predominantly Dutch. Despite its promising start, Wit-Blauw lasted only three seasons before disbanding around 1960. Read more…
Early Life and Career Jan (John) van Hoboken was born in 1908 in Aalten, Gelderland, Netherlands. He began his career in 1929 when he accepted a position at the Borsumij trading company in the Netherlands East Indies. In 1932, he married while living there. When the Japanese invasion of the Read more…
Bill Westerveld’s life story is a testament to his enduring passion for football and resilience in the face of adversity. His journey in the sport took him across continents, representing his homeland at the youth level before embarking on a new chapter in New Zealand and later in Australia. Born Read more…
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…