The history of Dutch New Guinea is closely bound up with Australia, especially in the turbulent years after the Second World War. Few individuals illustrate this better than Piet Johannes Merkelijn, a civil administrator whose career spanned the Netherlands, Australia and Dutch New Guinea. His experiences highlight both the personal Read more
As the Second World War engulfed Southeast Asia, the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) urgently sought military support. Isolated from its European homeland, which had been occupied by Nazi Germany since 1940, and facing imminent Japanese aggression, the colonial administration turned to the Allied powers for arms and logistical assistance. One Read more
While the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) was under Japanese occupation during the Second World War, political questions about the colony’s future did not disappear—they intensified. For many in the Dutch exile administration, the war was a time to consider how to reassert sovereignty after liberation. But for others, particularly reform-minded Read more
In early 1942, as Japanese forces swept through Southeast Asia, the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) stood on the front line of Allied defence. The Dutch committed significant military resources to support British-led efforts in Malaya and Singapore, especially in the air. Yet when the Japanese turned toward the NEI itself, Read more
The story of Hans Petersen and his son Mike Petersen is a fine example of how Dutch migration enriched Australian football, spanning generations and shaping both community clubs and the national game. Hans Petersen – Dutch arrival, football pioneer The Petersen family emigrated from Amsterdam to Melbourne in 1953 as Read more
Renaye Iserief is a celebrated figure in the early history of Australian women’s football, but her story is also deeply tied to the broader Dutch-Australian migration narrative. She is one of two Dutch-Australian women — alongside Rose van Bruinessen — who proudly wore the green and gold as Matildas during Read more
A major maritime discovery has brought to light a remarkable episode in Dutch-Australian history. In March 2025, after more than 160 years hidden beneath the shifting sands of Long Beach near Robe, South Australia, the wreck of the Koning Willem de Tweede was found. The Dutch merchant ship had sunk Read more
Republished with permission. Chapter 12 of the book: A Touch of Dutch.Including chapter 12: Johanna Bruce – Nee Herklots and family 1850-1917. For the full pdf of the book click here. Introduction chapters of the book: Touch of Dutch
Republished with permission. Chapter 13 of the book: A Touch of Dutch. For the full pdf of the book click here. Introduction chapters of the book: Touch of Dutch See also: Anna Siebenhaar under government surveillance Perth ca 1900 Ferdinand Jacobus Domela Nieuwenhuis Jr
The Coopers Plains History Group has put forward a proposal to name the central park at Cornerstone Living in Coopers Plains, Brisbane, “Dutch Park” to celebrate the area’s significant history tied to the post-WWII Dutch Housing Project. Naming the park would honour a unique collaboration between the Netherlands and Australia Read more