Netherlands East Indies - Australia History
Inventaris Digitale collectie Project ‘Afscheid van Indië’
Inventory Digital Collection Project ‘Farewell to the Indies’
Migration history
From the Pitch to Perseverance: The Remarkable Journey of Bill Westerveld
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…
Aviation and Shipping
The Lost Dutch Diamonds on Carnot Beach, Western Australia. New: video ABC 7:30 Report 12-11-2024
On the eve of the Netherlands East Indies’ capitulation, a series of evacuation flights brought Dutch citizens to the safety of Australia, with Broome emerging as a key evacuation hub. Among the heroic pilots, Dutch-Russian Captain Iwan Smirnoff stood out for his multiple successful evacuation missions, regarding it as a Read more…
Dutch Tasmanian Connection
Reg Doedens: A life of faith, resilience, and community- Tasmania
The article below is a brief resume of the life of Reg Doedens. It is structured on the ghosted auto-biography prepared by Anne Rand, with additional notes by the reviewer, (a neighbour, cadet, employee, hardware store co-owner, interviewer (for another book), family friend and fellow Christian). Some of Reg’s story Read more…
Dutch Tasmanian Connection
The Rook family: A Tasmanian migration story
By Meinard Karel Rook – Compiled in 2005 ArrivalWe arrived in Australia in August 1950, after a 6 week voyage from Holland on the Sibijaek. Our first land fall was in Fremantle, then on to Melbourne, where we transferred to the Taroona for the voyage across Bass Strait to Beauty Read more…
Cultural Events and Activities
Royal Visit to Tasmania
This article was written during the 2006 Dutch royal visit to Australia. It was weeks of anticipation for the Dutch Community in Tasmania, as they received preliminary invitations and two general invitations in the Saturday Mercury, for the Royal visit. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Orange, and Her Royal Read more…
Dutch Tasmanian Connection
Abel Tasman Stories
Special Tasman’s Briefcase to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of Abel Tasman The briefcase was made from black leather, embossed with the Tasmanian coat of arms. Inside there were several compartments. The main compartment contained a carved {profile?] head of Tasman let into a block of Tasmanian myrtle.A Read more…
Dutch Tasmanian Connection
Martina van Munster nee Kruiff migration to Tasmania
Martina’s early memories were fixed in World War II. Her family lived in Den Helder, a natural harbour on the tip of North Holland. The harbour was also a naval base, and the object of much bombing. Some of the bombs, towards the end of the war, were German V1 Read more…
Dutch Organisations
Card Club – Ons Genoegen Tasmania
Saturday the 21st of April was the day the Klaverjas Club “Ons Genoegen” celebrated their 50th anniversary. The celebrations started in the morning at the Lenah Valley RSL clubrooms. Players had come together from Launceston and Hobart to participate in a tournament of wits and skill (and a bit of Read more…
Dutch Culture, Sport, and Religion in Australia
Peter Herweynen – From Canadian chocolate to Antarctic builder
When he was 18 years old, Jan van Herweynen was asked by his father to travel to Tasmania, purchase a piece of land and begin building a house. Jan was accompanied by his cousin Bob Brinkman and the sister of his mother, Janny de Jonge. They left Schipol airport in Read more…