This autobiographical account of the author’s first ten years is based on his mother’s letters written in Australia and sent to relatives in Holland. Tells of the family’s migration to Australia in 1952, their time in Bonegilla Migrant Camp, their travels to Walwa, Benalla and Wodonga, and their eventual settlement Read more…
Theo Paap’s journey from Amsterdam to Perth in 1956 marked the beginning of a remarkable career in Australian football. Born in Amsterdam in 1943, Paap quickly immersed himself in the local Dutch football scene, joining the Windmills Football Club (now Morley Windmills). He immediately made an impact, rising through the Read more…
John (Jan) Berends was born in 1937, in a village near Zwolle, where he attended high School (HBS – B). After successfully completing his secondary schooling, he was conscripted into National Service, although not quite voluntary, serving for 21 months. He obtained the rank of sergeant and was discharged in Read more…
A research on the change in transnational ties of Dutch post-war migrant children in Australia On November 1, 2018 Anne Brehler defended her Master thesis ‘We were the ones that integrated’: Dutch post-war migrant children in Australia. She got cum laude Congratulations. This research focuses on children of post-war Dutch Read more…
The preservation and digitalisation of Dutch- Australian Migrant Registration Cards Over the decades, the Netherlands Embassy and Consulates in Australia maintained a card system documenting migrants from the Netherlands. The system contains over 55,000 cards, representing 80-90% of Dutch people who emigrated to Australia between 1946-1991. In 1998, The Consul-General Read more…
The Dutch and their WWII Allies were totally unprepared for the rapid advances of the Japanese army. Nobody had expected that Singapore would fall within 10 days, and in no time, they invaded the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Despite the rapid progress, the Dutch Government-in-Exile in London did not allow Read more…
South coast of Australia to 1772 and beyond Although part of the south coast, from Cape Leeuwin to around Fowlers Bay, was first mapped in 1627, there are no documented accounts of any visits until Vancouver entered King Georges Sound on 29 September 1791, staying until 11 October 1791. While Read more…
A revitalised Dutch Australian Cultural Centre (DACC) operates digitally Australia-wide and even internationally. The DACC was established in 1983 to oversee the preservation of Dutch heritage in Australia, including maritime history, migration, businesses, and the Dutch presence in Australia during World War II. For most of its existence, the DACC Read more…
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…
Post-event reflections (added 6 March 2024) The lecture and exhibition by Dr. Nonja Peters was well-attended by members of the DACC and the Dutch Club NAQ, as well as by interested members of the public. Attendance was approximately 35-40 people, and Dr. Peters received keen questions from the audience. After Read more…