Cultural Events and Activities
Brisbane@War: Australia, USA, Netherlands, and UK – Marking the 80th anniversary of WWII’s end with a symposium and tours
This year, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a momentous milestone in Australia’s history and the conclusion of the war in the Pacific. Brisbane played a pivotal role as a strategic hub for Allied operations, cementing its place in global wartime history. The Camp Read more…
Art, Music, Film, Theatre
Marike Jager in Australia tour – 2025
Marike Jager, a renowned Dutch singer-songwriter, embarks on her first Australian tour. Her journey with music began while backpacking through Australia as a teenager, where she learned to play the guitar and gathered experiences that continue to inspire her creative works. Now, 25 years later, Marike returns to Australia as Read more…
Migration history
Dutch-born Ferdinand von Sommer left a trail of controversy across colonial Australia
Republished with permission. Original article was published in the Conversation on January 3, 2025 Author:Alexandra LudewigProfessor and Head of the School of Humanities, The University of Western Australia Disclosure statementAlexandra Ludewig does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit Read more…
Migration history
Alexander Jan Reitsma: Dutch economist and global academic influence
Read his full Wikipedia article here. Alexander Jan Reitsma (1919-1982) was a distinguished Dutch economist whose career bridged three continents, making significant contributions to the fields of international economics and trade policy. Born in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, he began his academic journey at the Netherlands University for Economics, earning advanced Read more…
Art, Music, Film, Theatre
Premiere of a Pierre’s Mill Documentary on the emigration journey of the Looyen Family Melbourne, Brisbane
Holland Festival Melbourne March 15 Film Premiere: Dutch Immigration Story As part of the Holland Festival, there will also be screenings of the documentary Westlanders in Australia. The documentary tells the story of the Looyen family, who emigrated to Australia, as seen through the eyes of three generations. This “ordinary Dutch Read more…
Military and Political History
Sydney had two Dutch hospitals in the 1940s
Pierre van der Eng Sydney had two Dutch hospitals during 1944-1946. Both were related to the presence in Australia of a growing number of people from colonial Indonesia during 1942-1945. Since March 1942, officials of the government the Netherlands East Indies left Indonesia for Australia before the Japanese occupation of Read more…
Military and Political History
Dutch soldiers commemorates on the Afghan Tarin Kowt Memorial, Corinda, Queensland
The Tarin Kowt Memorial, located in Corinda, Queensland, is a bronze replica of the original memorial wall from Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. It honors the men and women from various nations who served in Uruzgan Province, listing the names of 114 coalition soldiers who lost their lives there, including 40 Australians. Read more…
Dutch – Australian History
Researching Dutch Australian Family History
Are you interested in your Dutch Australian family history? Did your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents migrate to Australia from the Netherlands? Or maybe you migrated to Australia from the Netherlands yourself and want to research your family history but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Read more…
Maritime History
Maria Island – Tasmania
Maria Island, situated off the east coast of Tasmania, holds a rich and complex history, particularly tied to Dutch exploration. Its story is interwoven with Indigenous heritage, European exploration, and a brief period as a convict settlement. Indigenous heritage For thousands of years, the Tyreddeme people of the Oyster Bay Read more…