The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre (DACC) has reached an important milestone in the long-term preservation of Dutch-Australian heritage. After several years of preparation, planning and infrastructure development, the DACC Archive Digitisation Project has moved from concept to active implementation. Preserving a unique national archive Since its foundation in 1983, the Read more
A little-known episode of Dutch–Australian post-war cooperation IntroductionIn the chaotic months after the Japanese surrender in August 1945, the Netherlands East Indies entered a turbulent and violent transition. The return of Dutch administrative and military forces coincided with the rise of the Indonesian independence movement and a widespread collapse of Read more
The transfer of Dutch New Guinea to Indonesian control in 1963 marked the abrupt end of one of the most promising experiments in decolonisation in the Pacific. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Netherlands had begun preparing the Papuan people for a future of self-government, establishing representative institutions Read more
In the early 1950s, Resident Karel Knödler of South New Guinea crossed the frontier into Australian-administered Papua New Guinea. His visit offers a rare first-hand Dutch view of daily life and administration across the colonial border that once divided the island. A cordial exchange across the frontier Karel Knödler had Read more
In the decade following the Second World War, the Netherlands and Australia shared the vast island of New Guinea as neighbouring colonial powers. The western half, Netherlands New Guinea (DNG), remained under Dutch administration, while the eastern half, the Territory of Papua and New Guinea (TPNG), was administered by Australia Read more
In September 1945, as Japan’s capitulation brought the Second World War to an end, Australia was tasked with overseeing the surrender of tens of thousands of Japanese troops scattered across the islands of New Guinea and the Netherlands East Indies. These operations were not limited to Australian territories. In neighbouring Read more
From 1947 to 1962, the Netherlands and Australia both belonged to the same regional organisation, the South Pacific Commission (SPC). The Commission was created by the Canberra Agreement of 1947, signed by six administering powers with dependent territories in the Pacific: Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, the United Read more
In the final years of Dutch administration in New Guinea, the Netherlands and Australia sought to establish a common development policy across the island. These conferences, held between 1959 and 1960, symbolised an ambitious vision of regional cooperation in health, education, infrastructure and administration. Yet they were also shaped by Read more
Introduction This article was written by Pieter Robert (Robby) Boele van Hensbroek (1920–2011), a former officer of the Royal Netherlands Navy who migrated to Australia in 1951. He remained deeply engaged in Dutch community affairs through the Netherlands Ex-Servicemen and Women’s Association (NESWA) and contributed a number of personal recollections Read more
This document contains the catalogue items associated with Dr Nonja Peters from the State Library of Western Australia (SLWA). Below the pdf is a searchable list of titles, interviewees/subjects, and years to make it easier for search engines to find names and titles. A more readable full catalogue see the Read more