A Legacy of Resilience: Dutch Heritage Jarrod Pieter Bleijie was born on January 25, 1982, in Griffith, New South Wales, to Pieter and Christine Bleijie. His paternal grandfather’s story is one of survival and determination. Born in the Dutch East Read more
On 23 June 2000, a deliberately lit fire engulfed the Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, Queensland, claiming the lives of 15 young travelers from around the world. Among them were two Dutch nationals: Joly van der Velden, 23, and Sebastian Read more
When Erna Walraven began working at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo in 1983, she entered a world still heavily dominated by men. As a newly qualified zookeeper, the role was a dream come true—but some of her male colleagues didn’t share her Read more
DAF Trucks, with its origins in Eindhoven in the Netherlands, represents one of the great Dutch industrial success stories of the 20th century. While widely recognised across Europe for its engineering quality and reliability, DAF has also carved out a Read more
The Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker has maintained a significant presence in Australian aviation history, from pioneering flights in the early 20th century to modern-day operations. This article explores the evolution of Fokker’s involvement in Australia, highlighting key milestones and the Read more
In 1987 Dutch Australian author Lolo Houbein published her book Wrong Face in the Mirror. Among other topics, this book deals with the author’s emigration to Australia in the 1950s as a twenty-four-year-old. Houbein describes the challenges of adapting to Read more
While walking through Roma Street Parkland, just next to where we live in Brisbane, I stopped once again at the Netherlands – Netherlands East Indies Memorial. It’s a peaceful and thoughtfully designed place, set amidst the gardens, and a rare Read more
The Uiver Memorial Community Trust – a not-for-profit organisation – is devoted to restoring Albury’s Uiver Memorial DC-2 aircraft. In 1934 the MacRobertson Air Race proclaimed itself as the greatest international air race devised, and history has confirmed that bold Read more
By Peter Reynders For some time, I have argued that the proper English translation of the first European geographic name given to part of Australia is “Cape Return,” not “Cape Turn Again” or any of the other variants that have Read more
In 1920, several major Dutch shipping companies joined forces to create the Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepvaartmaatschappij (United Netherlands Shipping Company), known by its initials VNS. Their aim was to streamline operations and strengthen global maritime links — including important routes to Read more