The Archive

The Butlers of Wickepin Records show Dutch were on the first fleet, that the Swan Colony had a Dutch consul as early as 1879 and that Dutch made a living on the land in Queensland in the early part of Read more

Life in Java, internment in war, and evacuation to Singapore and Australia 1900–1953 Section 1: Life in Java in the early 20th century Section 2: The clouds of war, 1939–­1942 Section 3: Internment in Java: Kwarassan, Banjoe Biroe X and Read more

Wilhelmina De Brey These pieces are in memory of those I failed to help survive.  I had hoped to save their lives. Through the betrayal of another person, to the secret police, the Kempeitai, our house was invaded. I had received a Read more

Netherlands East Indies (1939 – 1946) Internment, resilience and survival: The story of Dirk Drok who helped to uncover the Batavia and a key contributor to Voyage to Disaster, and his wife, well-known painter and ceramicist, Kitty Drok Why might Read more

John (Jan) Rikkers John (Jan) Rikkers was born on 5 February 1925 in den Haag, the youngest child of Jan Rikkers and Marie van der Wansem (official papers in later years state his date of birth as 1921, but according Read more

The Dutch Contribution to the Defence of Australia in World War II THE DUTCH CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA IN WORLD WAR TWO   Since November 2007 a plaque on the Pathway of Honor in Adelaide, South Australia, recognises Read more

Klaas Woldring Klaas Woldring’s life as an academic, political activist, and notable supporter of the Dutch community in Australia, has taken him The Netherlands to South Africa, Northern Rhodesia, Norway, Spain, Germany, Malta and the Solomon Islands. An interesting life! Read more

Richlands, Inala and Suburbs History Group Inc. (RIHG) Richlands, Inala and neighbouring suburbs are located in the south-west of Brisbane, Queensland. The History Group was formed in 1996, incorporated in 2000, and has become a force in the local area. Read more

John (Jan) Giezen John (Jan) Giezen would have to be one of the better known people within the Dutch-Australians veterans community living in Queensland. He has helped ex-veterans and their widows to access compensation and pensions; he established the Netherlands Read more

The Elwood Dutch Playgroup Hello and welcome! This is how every meeting of the Elwood Dutch playgroup based in Melbourne, Australia, commences: a warm welcome expressed to all in song. The main objective of the group is to teach the Read more