Long before ambassadors, embassies and formal diplomatic relations between Australia and the Netherlands, there was already practical cooperation between South Australia and the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). It was not driven by politics or military alliances, but by telecommunications. In the nineteenth century telegraph cables were the equivalent of Read more
For centuries the Dutch connection with Australia has largely been told through stories of exploration, trade and shipwrecks. Dutch navigators were the first Europeans to chart much of Australia’s coastline, leaving traces of their journeys scattered along the continent’s shores. Today, those stories continue to be uncovered and interpreted through Read more
In March 2026 the long awaited EU–Australia agreement was signed, marking a significant shift in the relationship between Europe and Australia. While much public attention has focused on tariff reductions and trade access, the agreement also includes important provisions and parallel initiatives relating to research cooperation, defence collaboration and cyber Read more
In a striking twist of history, the Netherlands and Australia are converging around Indonesia’s deep human past. What began as a late-nineteenth-century Dutch scientific quest in the former Netherlands East Indies is now being reframed through Indonesian custodianship and contemporary Australian research. Anthropology, rather than diplomacy or conflict, has become Read more
The World Solar Challenge is a biannual race in outback Australia that aims to promote the development of solar-powered vehicles. The Challenge was first held in 1987 and draws teams from all over the world, including the Netherlands. About the World Solar Challenge Participants in the World Solar Challenge (teams Read more
Nicolette Boele (born 10 November 1970) is an Australian independent Member of Parliament representing the federal seat of Bradfield in Sydney’s north since May 2025. The daughter of Dutch migrants who settled in Australia in the 1960s, she belongs to a new generation of Dutch-Australian leaders active in public life. 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
Early life and education in the Netherlands Professor Richard de Grijs was born in Amsterdam and grew up mainly in Friesland, living from the age of eight in Wolvega. He was the first in his family to attend university, pursuing a path that would eventually take him across four continents. Read more
At the turn of the 20th century, as Australia’s ports and rivers underwent significant development to support growing trade and migration, Dutch engineering quietly played a foundational role. Central to this was the Dutch firm A.F. Smulders, an industrial and shipbuilding company based in Schiedam, near Rotterdam. Dutch ingenuity and Read more
Johannes (Joh) Oost (1928–2024), born in the Netherlands in 1928, led an extraordinary life that seamlessly blended his Dutch heritage with the adventurous spirit of an Australian migrant. His story is one of resilience, innovation, and enduring contributions to his adopted homeland. A Dutch foundation Born in the village of Read more