nijntje, known in English as miffy, is a character created by Dutch children’s author and illustrator Dick Bruna (1927-2017). She is a white rabbit with human characteristics who lives in the Netherlands. The first nijntje/miffy book – bearing the same name as its main character – was published in 1955. Read more…
On 16 December 1943, a Royal Air Force Lancaster bomber, tail number JA853 MG-L from 7 Squadron, was shot down over the Netherlands during a mission over Germany. The aircraft crashed in Friesland, claiming the lives of seven brave young airmen — five Australians and two Britons. In 2025, more Read more…
In 1994, the Australian Government Publishing Service released a remarkable volume titled Diplomasi: Australia & Indonesia’s Independence. Documents 1947, edited by political analyst and public servant Dr Philip Dorling. This collection of declassified documents sheds new light on a transformative year in Australian foreign policy—one that placed Australia in the Read more…
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr Jonathan (Jack) Ford on 29 June 2025, at his home in Brisbane. Jack had recently returned from hospital following heart treatment and, when we last spoke two days before his untimely death, he told me that the new Read more…
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the Netherlands faced a monumental challenge. While its homeland lay in ruins after years of occupation, it also had to grapple with re-establishing authority and humanitarian order in its colony, the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), which had been under brutal Japanese occupation Read more…
During World War II, the SS Tasman, a Dutch steamship operated by the Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij (KPM), became part of an extraordinary Dutch Australian connection. From wartime evacuations and military support to post-war links between the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) and Australia, the Tasman offers a glimpse into a lesser Read more…
In reviewing the article Ripples of Decolonisation in the Asia-Pacific by Charles Hawksley and Rowena Ward (2019), I was struck by how closely its themes intersect with lesser-known Dutch–Australian wartime and postwar connections. While the article does not focus on Dutch-Australian relations per se, it provides valuable context for understanding Read more…
The Wilhelmina Fund, established by Ringwood City Soccer Club in 2019, is a standout example of how a proud Dutch-Australian football club continues to honour its heritage while supporting its local community. Ringwood City SC was founded by Dutch migrants in the post-World War II period—a time when many Dutch Read more…
Still Recovering by Maria H.J. Butler is a poignant and personal memoir that offers a unique insight into the post-war Dutch migrant experience in Australia. The book captures the childhood memories of a Dutch, Catholic, New Australian girl growing up in Queenscliff, Victoria. Maria was born in Gouda, the Netherlands, Read more…
The story of Dutch migration to Australia is filled with personal journeys of courage, resilience, and community spirit. Among these is the remarkable life of Henk (Hank) van Iersel, a man who stood against oppression during the dark years of World War II and later sought a new future for Read more…