By Wendy Walker-Birckhead This ethnographic study by Wendy Walker-Birckhead explores the lived experiences, health perceptions, and lifestyle practices of older Dutch migrants in Australia. The chapter draws from qualitative interviews with 19 Dutch-Australians—11 first-generation migrants and 8 adult children—to understand how migration, cultural identity, and ageing intersect in later life. Read more…
Nonja Peters’ comprehensive chapter The Enterprising Dutch analyses the occupational adjustment and entrepreneurial activities of Dutch migrants in Western Australia after World War II, examining their transition from wage labour to self-employment. The study spans three distinct groups: first-generation postwar migrants (1947–1975), their Australian-born or raised children (second generation), and Read more…
By Dr Nonja Peters In Milk and Honey – But No Gold, Dr Nonja Peters provides one of the most comprehensive accounts of postwar migration to Western Australia, with a particular focus on the Dutch and other European migrant communities. Based on archival research, oral history interviews, and personal observation, Read more…
In this 2012 paper published in the AEMI Journal, Dr. Nonja Peters examines the migration experiences of approximately 160,000 Dutch individuals who relocated to Australia following World War II. The study delves into how various factors—local, national, and global influences, as well as social, cultural, and economic policies in both Read more…
Selected individuals linked to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) during World War II for which the Archives holds interviews. Click here for the interviews. The Archive is an Australian Government initiative, commissioned through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. It is a unique, historical collection, a resource for everyone interested in Read more…
De Andere Nederlanders – The Other Dutch is a compelling bilingual exhibition and publication that tells the often-overlooked story of the Indo-European (Indische) community: the descendants of Dutch colonisers and local Indonesians in the former Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. These “Other Dutch” developed a unique hybrid identity, blending European Read more…
By Di Gabb and Roberta Julian This chapter traces two distinct yet ideologically aligned waves of Dutch migration to Australia—one preceding World War I and another following World War II. Both were driven not by typical economic motives or adventure but by deeply held ideological or religious beliefs, making these Read more…
Dutch and Australian Government Perspectives on Migration By Joed Elich Introduction: Migration and the Double Perspective Joed Elich’s research takes a rare and crucial “double perspective” approach to Dutch-Australian post-WWII migration, examining not only the policies and motivations of each government but also the lived experiences of Dutch migrants and Read more…
Drawing on the Works of Desmond Cahill and Michael Clyne Introduction and Overview Post-war Dutch migration to Australia has long been perceived as an understated success story — a community that quietly integrated, worked hard, and caused few social ripples. Yet beneath this stereotype lies a more nuanced and layered Read more…
Author: Michael Clyne Introduction: In this seminal article, sociolinguist Michael Clyne investigates the unique trajectory of Dutch language use and decline in Australia, comparing it with other community languages such as Italian, Greek, German, and Vietnamese. His central question: Is the Dutch linguistic experience in Australia an anomaly, or does Read more…