Mike Petersen, born of a Dutch father and an Australian mother on May 6, 1965, in Melbourne, emerged as a stalwart midfielder whose illustrious career spanned continents and left an indelible mark on Australian football. Rooted in his Dutch heritage, Petersen’s journey from the grassroots of Port Melbourne juniors to Read more…
The name of the current Sturt Lions Soccer Club shows the Dutch heritage of the club, the club still plays in orange and has the Dutch Lion in its logo. The Orange Soccer Club was formed in 1953 by Dutch migrants. In 1963 the club amalgamated with the Sturt Soccer Read more…
Australia is a land of immigrants. I am an immigrant, and you, dear reader, are probably too. High levels of immigration in the years before 1891 resulted in 32% of the population listed as overseas-born in Australia’s first country-wide census in 1891. These numbers decreased substantially in the first half Read more…
From the book Clogball – The Dutch and Soccer in Australia. A migrant Story. By Adam Muyt If you think the Dutch have never won a World Cup you’re mistaken: Holland won a World Cup back in the 1950s. Huh? More than 1.25 million European immigrants poured into Australia in the Read more…
Gary van Egmond was born in Newcastle in 1965. His family had emigrated to Australia at an earlier time. He played professional football for the Newcastle United Jets and the Australian national team. He also coached the Newcastle Jets and the Australian national team. He married Anette and they have Read more…
Rose van Bruinessen (married name Rosemary Moodley), known as Matilda #10, was one of the pioneering figures in women’s football in Australia. She played a significant role as a defender in the early days of the Australian Women’s National Football Team, also known as the Matildas. Unconfirmed information indicates that Read more…
Dr. Wouters did not shy away from controversial issues. He refused to swear allegiance to the Queen during his naturalisation ceremony, instead he was allowed to swear on the Bible, something that since that time has been accepted by the Australian Government. He advocated for equality for migrants within various Read more…
Dutch Football Club Austral was a soccer club that was founded in Sydney by a group of Dutch immigrants, under the name Hollandia at the Black Tulip Restaurant in George Street in 1949. Its restaurateur David Bos became the first president and also was its main sponsor. The first game Read more…
Jan Wakker was a Dutch-Australian jockey who had a successful career in horse racing. He was born on January 10, 1943, in Groningen, and emigrated to Australia in 1950. His family settled in Moe. Fred Wakker (Jan’s father) found a racing pigeon in the family loft and decided to chase 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…