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Book: The UnDutchables

“The UnDutchables: An Observation of the Netherlands, Its Culture, and Its Inhabitants” is a humorous and irreverent exploration of Dutch life and society co-authored by Colin White and Laurie Boucke. First published in 1989, the book has become a best-seller in the Netherlands since 1990 and gained popularity in various

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Interview: The wanderings of Nies Lankamp

Different from most Dutch migrants, Nies Lankamp was not born in the Netherlands.  She was born in Teluk Bayur in North Eastern Borneo as Nies Landman.  Her father, Gerard Landman, worked there as machinist on the coal transport ships of the Koninklijke Pakketvaart Maatschappij (KPM).  Teluk Bayur is inland, connected

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Interview: All in the family. Henk Hoonhout and Ali Geeraerts

Hendrikus (Henk) Hoonhout and Alida Johanna Maria Geeraerts (Ali) are brother and sister.  They both live in Prins Willem Alexander Village in Birkdale, Brisbane Queensland, albeit in separate accommodation.  Ali is a widow and lives in a low-care unit, she is 99.  Henk, who never married, lives in an independent

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Interview: Hank and Bertie Halle – loving sports

Husband and wife, Hank and Bertie Halle were both born in 1933.  He in Deventer as Hendrik Halle, she in Zaandam as Egberta Westervaarder. Hank’s father was a well-known Dutch footballer and trainer, Jan Halle.  Jan and his brother, Leo, famous as the ‘Lion of Deventer’, both played for the

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Interview: Wubbo Bijker – ship builder

Wubbo Edward Bijker, was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in April 1939.  His parents were Wiebe Bijker, born in Zwolle, and Nicolette Kempff who was born in Haarlem.  Grandfather Bijker was Frisian.  Father Wiebe Bijker was a mechanical engineer and during the years after WW2 he built bridges all over Netherlands,

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Interview: Bill Hunt – Builder and bridge player

Bill Hunt is living in a low-care unit of Prins Willem Alexander Village (PWA) in Brisbane because he has severe vision limitations.  In spite of his English name, he was born in Assen (Drenthe) in 1934, named Willem Hoekstra, his father was Hans Hoekstra from Heerenveen, Friesland, and his mother

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Interview: Hanny van der Mark -tough migration years

After having interviewed two men who live at my retirement village, I now interviewed a migrant woman.  Our village actually has more female than male residents, so it’s about time.  Hanny came to Australia in 1950, when she was 10 years young.  She was born in Bussum, where she grew

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Interview: Steve Flierman – Property valuer

In my village, the Prince Willem Alexander Retirement Village (PAW), there’s plenty of migrants, mostly Dutch.  Some of them are here long enough to have been involved with the founding of the village.  I interviewed another one of our residents about his migrant experience.   Steve Flierman was born in

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Sinterklaas Overseas Foundation

Family in Holland could have a Sinterklaas package sent to their relatives overseas. There was all kinds of stuff in there. Candy, calendar, teaspoon, gramophone record, booklets, tablecloth, you name it. In the DACC archives is a tablecloth and sugar bowl from such a package (see below). See also: Sinterklaas

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Sinterklaas Treats

Pepernoten: The Traditional Sinterklaas DelicacyIs Christmas Eve truly complete without gingerbread cookies? Sinterklaas festivities naturally include these delightful treats, making them an essential part of the celebration. Gingerbread cookies, available at Dutch shops or enjoyable to make at home, hold the top spot on our list of Sinterklaas treats. Engage

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Sinterklaas celebrations at Dutch Clubs in Australia

These are photographs and Dutch Australian Weekly (DAW) newspaper clippings from the DACC archives of Sinterklaas celebrations within Australian club from the early fifties onwards. Dutch Australian Weekly newspaper clippings The DAW also used Sinterklaas to promote a subscription to the newspaper as a Sinterklaas gift Information on the Dutch

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Heydays of the Dutch businesses in the 1960s and 1970s

The 1960s and 70s were the heydays of Dutch shops around the country. The key importers and wholesalers at that time were: • Rubsons Pty Ltd established by Ruben Rubens in Victoria, Tasmania & Canberra;• The Mannassen family in NSW & ACT;• Centra – by the family van Straalen in

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Dinkum yet Dutch – Author John Lindeman

Property Market Analyst John Lindeman is widely respected as one of Australia’s leading market analysts. With well over a decade of experience researching the nature and dynamics of various types of assets at major data analysts, John is renowned as the market researcher that other experts go to for all

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Our Story – Experiences of the Dutch in Queensland

To ensure that the stories of Dutch migrants would be preserved for future generations, the former Dutch-Australian Community Action Federation Qld Inc. (DACA) published a 208 page book ‘Our Story — Experiences of the Dutch in Queensland’ in 2001. Editors: Annelies Zeissink, DACA-President and Rob-Jan Mynarends. The book presents personal

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Sinterklaas in Australia

The story of Sinterklaas (Sint Nicolaas) is of course well known, there is plenty of information on the internet about this typical Dutch tradition. Although it has changed over the years due to changes in society e.g. the arrival of radio, television, internet as well as an increasingly more multicultural

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Nederlands Military Air Transport Services in Australia – WWII

Military Air Transport in Australia started soon before the fall of the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). In the few months before this happened evacuations started to happen, mainly of Dutch civilian personnel including families of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Airline (KNILM). These civil aircrafts became the earliest core of

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The cartographic migration of Wesel(s) Eijland – Dr. Jan Tent

The Wessel Islands group off the north-eastern coast of Arnhem Land has a rather abstruse history in terms of its naming and ultimate cartographic location. Cartographic evidence, and some primary documentary evidence points to a Wesel(s) Eijland initially referring to an island off the southern coast of present-day West Papua.

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Gerard Willems – Dutch-Australian piano virtuoso

Gerard Willems AM is a Dutch Australian classical pianist and double ARIA award winner. He came by boat (Grote Beer, Holland-America Lines) with his family in 1958 and went through several years of migrant camp experience. You can see a glimpse of his work here: See also: Gerard Willems Interview:

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Author Maria Douwes – Back to Australia

Maria Douwes started her career at Time-Life International, the Book Department. After that she worked at the PR-Departments at De Volkskrant (national newspaper) and the Cinetone Filmstudios. Thereafter she started her own Communication-Organisation Company and made the book’ Noord Nu’ (city district North Amsterdam) with Theo Dohte. For the city

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CIA Report on the Break-Up of Colonial Empires – 1948

This report recently declassified assesses – in 1948 – the implications of the decolonisation of Africa and Asia for US security. The report – which also mentioned the futile attempts of the Netherlands to hold on to the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) – proofs to be amazingly accurate about

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Cape Leeuwin Gable Stone in Amsterdam

Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie – VOC – (Dutch East India Company) related gable stone with a lying lioness in the ‘gable stone wall’ at the Oudezijds Kolk in Amsterdam. The stone comes from Kleine Kattenburgerstraat 14/16 and was found there by Van Arkel and Weissman (Noord-Hollandsche Oudheden 6destuk (1903) page 43).

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The NEI Personnel & Equipment Pool Squadron Canberra – Bundaberg

The establishment of the NEI Personnel & Equipment Pool (PEP) Squadron, initially stationed at RAAF Base in Canberra, resulted from the need to allow Netherlands East Indies (NEI) crews to recover and prepare for upcoming operations after completing their operational tours. Additionally, they required a base to accommodate spare aircraft

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Dutch-Russian Ace Pilot Iwan Smirnoff (WWII)

Ivan Vasilyevich Smirnov, a Russian pilot born in 1895 during the era of Tsarist Russia, embarked on a remarkable journey through the turbulent times of the 20th century. His life story is a testament to courage, adaptability, and dedication to aviation. Smirnov’s journey into aviation began as a response to

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Dutch involvement in the Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House, opened on 20 October 1973, and stands tall as an iconic symbol of Australian culture. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened it, emphasising the power of human creativity. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra performed at the official opening, under the direction of Dutchman Willem van Otterloo. The orchestra’s

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Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) and Australia

The Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) played a significant role in the exploration and early history of Australia. The relationship between the VOC and Australia can be understood through several key points: Exploration and Mapping: Dutch explorers were among the first Europeans to contact the Australian continent. In, Willem Janszoon, sailing

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Dutch claims to New Holland and the British colonization in 1788

November 1786 saw the publication of An Historical Narrative of the Discovery of New Holland and New South Wales, which sought to explain the reasons for the British Government’s decision to establish a settlement at Botany Bay. Although the book was published anonymously, the London publishers, John Fielding and John Stockdale, were

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Archived: Dutch WWII historian visits Brisbane on 17 November

Presentation on Australian-Dutch WWII events at ANZAC Square & Memorial Galleries Camp Columbia Heritage Association invites you to a presentation by Dutch historian Bas Kreuger on Dutch Australian WWII events on 17 November 2023 at the ANZAC Square & Memorial Galleries. Reservations are limited to 60 persons. Register for free

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WWII Propaganda Flights from Australia to Java

Propaganda and intelligence gathering. As the Allied Forces were able to push back the Japanese, by 1943, preparations started in Australia to liberate the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). The Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile was established in Camp Columbia, Brisbane to coordinate the liberation and reoccupation efforts from here.. In 1943,

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Almar Zaadstra – Painter of Australian history

Almar Zaadstra is an Australian artist based in Casterton, Victoria. Almar arrived in Australia at the age of 6 in 1966, the 4th of six children born to Sake and Ytje . They left Oudega in Friesland , Netherlands,  to give their boys a brighter future in a new country,

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Master Lithographer Fred Genis- first celebrity printer in Australia.

Fred Genis (1934 Amersfoort, Netherlands – 2022 Mullumbimby, Australia) was a Master Lithographer and the first celebrity printer in Australia. Genis was a partner in the Hollanders Workshop in New York in the late 60’s, early 70’s, working with artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Willem De Kooning, Sam Francis, Jasper Johns, Larry Rivers

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The last VOC exploration voyage to Australia – 1756

The text below is a brief summary of a report titled “EXPLORATORY VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS RIJDER AND BUIS, COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT JEAN ETIENNE GONZAL AND FIRST LAVIENNE LODEWIJK VAN ASSCHENS, TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA.” This report was submitted by Gerrit de Haan, the “Master Cartographer” at Batavia, on

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Book launch of Clogball – Dutch football clubs in Australia

Sydney launch of Clogball The Sydney launch of Clogball, Adam Muyt’s new book on the Dutch and their contribution to Australian football, took place at Berkelouw Books in Paddington on 21 September 2023. Netherlands Consul-General, Hugo Klijn, spoke about the Dutch love of football and the Netherlands Embassy’s International Heritage

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Sam Roggeveen – Director Lowy Institute

Sam Roggeveen was born in the Netherlands and emigrated with his family to Australia when he was seven years old. Before joining the Lowy Institute, Sam was a senior strategic analyst in Australia’s peak intelligence agency, the Office of National Assessments, where his work dealt mainly with North Asian strategic

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Er is er een jarig hoera hoera!

A Dutch tribute on the 50th anniversary of the opening of that hallowed hall on the harbour. Willen van Otterloo conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) for the inaugural concert in front of the Queen. The following year he took the SSO on a world tour. A few contoversies surrounding

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De Nederlandse Vereniging in Bankstown

The following information was written in 1985. The Club no longer exists This club is at the moment in a kind of transition state. Many of its old members have moved and their children live too far away from Bankstown and have started their own interest groups further away in

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We need your help

Enhancing Dutch Australian Cultural Heritage Together Over the past few years, you have undoubtedly noticed the gradual expansion of Dutch-Australian cultural information within our database. We hold a strong belief in the significance of documenting and safeguarding our Dutch-Australian heritage, with a primary focus on the following areas: To ensure

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Join us in preserving Dutch-Australian heritage

Are you passionate about preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Dutch Australians? The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre LTD (DACC) invites you to become a valued volunteer and contribute to the maintenance of our precious resources housed at the Abel Tasman Village in Chester Hill, NSW. Currently, we have

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Dutch cargo confiscated in Sydney – 1942

In January 1942, based on this document from the Australian National Archives, Dutch cargo from the Norwegian M/S Høegh Silverstar, destined for the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), was confiscated on orders from the American Government in Sydney. According to the ship’s logbook, it departed from San Francisco on November 24,

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Dutch Jewish refugees met again in Australia

Article about Ruben Rubens and Bob van Ameringen. They were friends in the Netherlands before WWII when their lives were disrupted. They became refugees but eventually, separately, settled in Australia. Here after 50 years they met each other again for the first time.

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Dutch-Australian painter Henricus van den Houten (1801-1879)

Henricus Leonardus van den Houten (The Hague 1801- Melbourne 1879) was a Dutch-Australian painter, lithographer, and art teacher. He developed a passion for art at a young age. He studied painting and honed his skills under the guidance of renowned Dutch artists, specialising on portrait paintings. He worked in Leiden,

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Dr. Sir Hendrik Johan Rutgers (1917-1997)

Gedurende de Tweede Wereldoorlog was Henk verzetsstrijder tijdens de Duitse bezetting van Nederland. Na de oorlog werd hij uitgezonden naar Batavia in het voormalige Nederlands Indie als Officier van Justitie bij de berechting van Japanse oorlogsmisdadigers. Hij ontmoette daar voor het eerst Dick van Arkel. Beiden realiseerden dat Australia hen

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Royal Netherlands State visit to Australia 2016

The state visit of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands to Australia in October/November 2016 was a significant diplomatic event that strengthened the ties between the two countries. Here is some information about their visit: During their visit, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima visited

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WWII airfields in the Top End used by the Dutch

In all there were over a dozen WWII airfields in the Top End and many of them were at occasions used by the Dutch. After the 18 NEI Squadron RAAF was fully trained and operational they moved from the training base in Canberra to McDonald Airfield and from here to

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Book review: “Through Darkest Seas” by Graeme Cocks (2023)

Graeme Cocks. Through Darkest Seas. Inglewood: Motoring Past Vintage Publishing, 2023. E-book.  Review by Jorien van Beukering Ever wondered what it would be like to build a replica of a seventeenth-century ship of exploration? If so, look no further than Graeme Cocks’ new book Through Darkest Seas, which tells the

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Tall ship Oosterschelde leads the Darwin200 Global Voyage.

The DARWIN200 Global Voyage is a two-year voyage that will follow the route of Charles Darwin’s voyage on the HMS Beagle around the world. The voyage will take place from 2023 to 2025 and will visit 32 countries, including the Galapagos Islands, Tahiti, Australia, and South Africa. The voyage is

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Dr. Cornelius Wouters, champion of Dutch culture.

Dr. Cornelius Willebrod Wouters (18 August 1896, Waspik -20 January 1978, Brunssum). During his youth and early adulthood he moved around the Netherlands. He met his wife in Waalwijk and after several other jobs became a translator for the Dutch National Mines (Staatsmijnen) in Heerlen. He migrated to Australia in

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Dutch Catholic Hostel in Brisbane

In 1889, German priest and scientist, Arnold Janssen, together with German women Helena Stollenwerk and Hendrina Stenmanns, founded the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters (in Dutch: “Dienaressen van de Heilige Geest” in German: “Dienerinnen des Heiligen Geistes von der ewigen Anbetung”).  Already in 1875, he had begun the Divine Word Missionary

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Ir. Haveman Emigration Commissioner 1950-1970

Bastiaan Wouter Haveman was born in 1908 in Wijnjeterp, Friesland. He grew up as a pastor’s son with four brothers and a sister. He obtained his master’s degree in chemical engineering in Delft and subsequently graduated in Dutch law in Leiden. In 1951 he married Louise Hendrika van Loon. Before

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Australia emigration in Dutch Newspapers 1954-1978

Dr. C Wouters has been the most important person during the emigration period between 1950 and 1980 representing the Dutch emigrants in Australia. He tirelessly advocated for recognition of Dutch culture, history and especially its language. He was a prolific writer of articles and letter to the editors in the

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Dutch Connection – Dutch Radio for the Illawarra

 By Dr. Yoke Berry from Dutch in Wollongong, released at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Dutch Connection radio programme. On Sunday the 9th of November 1997, the first Dutch program in the Illawarra was broadcast on the community radio station VOX FM 106.9. For the programmers and listeners

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Nederlandse Vereniging in NSW (1944-2008)

This is one of the earliest Dutch Clubs in Australia, founded in 1944. The official name was first Nederlandse Vereeniging in Nieuw Zuid Wales (N.Z.W), later documents state Nederlandse Vereniging in NSW and later the more common name was used Nederlandse Vereniging in Sydney or in English Netherlands Society in

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The Ghosts of Christmas (Island) – Dr. Jan Tent

For some three centuries confusion existed among Europeans over the location and name of the Indian Ocean island now referred to as Christmas Island. Maps appeared charting the island with no name, with one of three names, with two names simultaneously, or as two or three adjacent islands. It was

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Early Dutch loanwords in the South Pacific

The Polynesian islands share in common the fact that the first European language they came into contact with was the English brought first by Captain Cook, spread by whalers and traders and later consolidated by missionaries. The purpose of the paper below is twofold. First, the authors will present evidence

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Rose van Bruinessen, Matildas Footballer #10

Rose van Bruinessen (married name Rosemary Moodley), known as Matilda #10, was one of the pioneering figures in women’s football in Australia. She played a significant role as a defender in the early days of the Australian Women’s National Football Team, also known as the Matildas. Unconfirmed information indicates that

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Dutch names in Australia – Linguist Dr. Jan Tent

Dr Jan Tent was born in Amsterdam, his parents originating from Groningen. Jan’s father worked for IBM in Amsterdam. In 1957 his father was made production manager of the IBM typewriter and punch card plant in Lidcombe (Sydney). The appointment was supposed to be for two years but stretched out

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Articles, Poems and Letters to the Editor from Dr. C Wouters

Dr. Wouters did not shy away from controversial issues. He refused to swear allegiance to the Queen during his naturalisation ceremony, instead he was allowed to swear on the Bible, something that since that time has been accepted by the Australian Government. He advocated for equality for migrants within various

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Many awards bestowed on Dr Wouters

Dr. Cornelius Wouters is most likely the internationally most awarded Dutch-Australian. He was awarded the Knighthood in the Order of Oranje-Nassau. He also received the Silver Anjer from the Prins Bernhard Fonds in 1976 for his contribution to the preservation and promotion of Dutch culture in Australia. The Silver Anjer

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Stephanie Branz – Dutch-Australian Sports-commentator

In this video clip from the National Archives of Australia Stephanie talks about her Dutch heritage. Stephanie Brantz is a television presenter and sports personality from Australia. Born in 1972 in Queensland to Dutch parents to Phillipa and Hans Branz, she began her modeling career in 1985 while attending St

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New Holland the name for Australia from1644-1824

The name New Holland (Hollandia Novae) appeared on maps depicting the continent of Australia after the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman charted the west coast of the continent in 1644. According to linguist Dr. Jan Tent (see paper below), the name was probably given to the continent by one of the

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Early Dutch Naval visits to Australia 1901-1938

Dutch Naval Visit at the opening of Australia’s First Federal Parliament – 1901 Dutch Naval Visit to Australia in 1930 Dutch Submarine K-XVIII Visits Fremantle in 1935 Dutch Gunboot Flores Visits Australia to Commemorate Sydney’s 150th Anniversary 1938

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Peter Zorgdrager established Miniland in Coonabarabran

Miniland was a theme park in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia. It was opened in 1972 by Peter Zorgdrager, a Dutch immigrant who was inspired by Dusneyland. The park featured a variety of giant sculptures, including dinosaurs, animals, and landmarks from around the world. It also had a children’s playground,

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Dutch emigration literature in Australia

In previous months we have highlighted Dutch literature in Australia and we continue this month with another collection of interesting and often forgotten books. However, some will recall nostalgic memories from those who arrives as children or as emigrants from the 1950s and 1960s. Land in de verte – 1952

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Book: The Dutch in Australia -2005

By Willemijn de Boer. The book is a comprehensive history of Dutch migration to Australia, which discusses the growth of the Dutch community in Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries. It covers a wide range of topics, including the reasons for Dutch migration to Australia, the different waves of

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Commissioner for Emigration Nederland 1948-1967

The Regeringscommissaris voor de Emigratie was a government commissioner for emigration who was appointed by the Dutch government in 1948 to coordinate and stimulate the emigration of Dutch citizens to other countries, especially after World War II. The commissioner was responsible for providing information, advice and assistance to potential emigrants,

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Dutch Submarine K-XVIII Visits Fremantle in 1935

The Dutch submarine K-XVIII made a historic visit to Fremantle in 1935. It was the first Dutch submarine to ever visit the port, and it helped to strengthen the ties between the Netherlands and Australia. The K-XVIII arrived in Fremantle on 13 April 1935, after a long journey from the

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Dutch Naval Visit to Australia in 1930

A Dutch naval squadron visited Australia in 1930, led by Rear Admiral C.C. Kaijser on the light cruiser HNLMS Java with the destroyers De Ruyter and Evertsen. The visit took place from 17 to 28 February 1930, and the ships visited Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Fremantle. The visit was part

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The DACC Library Collection  

The DACC Library has a collection of books, magazines, CD’s,  DVD’s and VHS tapes. Most are not yet in the online data base. The table below lists the categories and the number of books and magazines in each category.  Please contact the DACC for further information.

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Elizabeth Stukkien author of Hartog’s children

Elizabeth Stukkien was born in 1942 in the Netherlands and emigrated to Australia in 1971 with her husband and four children. She worked as a teacher and a librarian in Perth and Brisbane. She died in 2017 in Brisbane and was survived by her husband, children and grandchildren. Hartog’s kinderen

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WWII Naval Commander Australia Pieter Koenraad

Koenraad, Pieter, naval officer (born in Dirksland 6-6-1890 – died in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands 22-2-1968). Son of Johannes Adrianus Koenraad, headteacher, and Alida Elizabeth de Graaff. Married on 5-5-1923 to Catharina Cornelia van Trooijen, which marriage was dissolved by divorce on 12-9-1930 by judgment of the Council

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Rear Admiral Coster revisits the Dutch war effort from Australia.

Parliamentary inquiry into government policy 1940-1945 This parliamentary inquiry focused  on the government policy of the cabinets De Geer, Gerbrandy and  Schermerhorn, since the German invasion of the Netherlands on 10 May 1940   and  in relation to Netherlands East indies (NEI) the war with Japan until the opening of the

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Emigration on the MS Sibajak

The MS Sibajak was a passenger ship named after Mount Sibayak, a volcano located in Sumatra, Indonesia. It was built at the Koninklijke Maatschappij “De Schelde” shipyard in Vlissingen, Netherlands. The ship was initially constructed for the N.V. Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM), a Dutch shipping company that operated in the Dutch

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Celebrating Rembrandt: True to life – at NGV Melbourne

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne  is presenting an exhibition dedicated to the work of seventeenth-century Dutch master Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Rembrandt: True to life follows the work of Rembrandt from early work in Leiden through to his final years in Amsterdam, with more than 100 works

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Dutch-Indonesian-Australian Geophysicist and artist William Wiebenga

William Alexander Christiaan Johannes Wiebenga was an Indonesian-Dutch-Australian geophysicist and artist. He was born in Benkoelen, Indonesia (now known as Bengkulu, Indonesia) on December 5, 1910. His father with the same name, William Alexander Christiaan Johannes Wiebenga, was a Dutch civil servant. His mother Jeanne Helene de Rochemont was born

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Australian Actor Anthony LaPaglia has Dutch Ancestry

Maria Johannes Brendel is a secretary and the mother of Australian actor Anthony LaPaglia. She is originally from the Netherlands and has Dutch ethnicity. Her husband Gedio “Eddie” LaPaglia, emigrated from Bovalino, Province of Reggio Calabria, Italy. They had two other sons, the Australian actor Jonathan LaPaglia and Michael LaPaglia,

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Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine) in Australia

Unlike the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) Army and its Air Force, the Koninklijke Marine (KM – Royal Netherlands Navy) that operated in NEI, was part of the Dutch Navy. They resorted under the Minister for the Navy at the Dutch Government-in-Exile in London. By mid February, the Governor the Netherlands

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Emigratie Commissie of the Nederlandse Vrouwen Comité

The Emigratie Commissie was a committee of the Nederlandse Vrouwen Comité (NVC – Dutch Women’s Council). The Emigration Commission of the Dutch Women’s Council, was an organisation in the Netherlands that focused on assisting women and families with the process of emigrating to other countries. The committee operated during the

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Stichting Landverhuizing Nederland (Foundation for Emigration Netherlands) – 1913-1967

The Nederlandse Vereniging Landverhuizing (Netherlands Association Emigration) was established in 1913 to promote Dutch emigration. It merged with the Emigration Centre Holland (Emigratie Centrale Holland) in 1931 and formed the Netherlands Emigration Foundation (Stichting Landverhuizing Nederland). The foundation was renamed the Dutch Emigration Service (Nederlandse Emigratiedienst) in 1952. The foundation

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Dutch Football Club Austral Sydney

Dutch Football Club Austral was a soccer club that was founded in Sydney, Australia, in 1949 by a group of Dutch immigrants. The club was named after the southern continent of Australia, which was sometimes referred to as “Austral” in Dutch. Dutch Football Club Austral played in the New South

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Van Diemen’s Land became Tasmania 1642-1856

The name Van Diemen’s Land was given to the island of Tasmania by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642, in honour of Anthony van Diemen, the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies who had sent him on his voyage. The name was used by the British settlers who

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The entrepreneurial Sypkes family in Tasmania

It all started with Engel Sypkes, an Australian businessman who migrated from the Netherlands to Tasmania in 1951. Shortly after his arrival, he opened a small general store in Stanley. After a trip to the United States, Sypkes was exposed to modern merchandising methods, which inspired him to open his

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Book: Onder schoolkinderen en andere verhalen – 1963

This book is a collection of short stories by Henk Romijn Meijer, a Dutch novelist, anglist and essayist who wrote with an English kind of irony. The stories are partly based on his experience as a teacher of French in Melbourne, Australia. The title story, Onder schoolkinderen (Among schoolchildren), depicts

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Hilma Dymphna Lodewyckx  married to Manning Clark.

Hilma Dymphna Lodewyckx (1916-2000) was the daughter of Augustin Lodewyckx and Anna Sophia Hansen. She was born in Stellenbosch, South Africa and later moved to Melbourne, Australia with her family when her father was appointed lecturer at the University of Melbourne. She mainly used her middle name Dymphna. Her father

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The Indisch Dutch in post-war Australia

This is an article written by Joost Cote Monash University (Australia) and published in June 2010 in the “Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis” Abstract. This article considers how the Indisch Dutch related to post-war Australia. After establishing the definitional and statistical identity of Australia’s Indisch Dutch, the discussion draws

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Book: Australia and New Zealand – 1965

“Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland” is the Dutch translation of the book “Australia and New Zealand” written by Colin MacInnes in collaboration with the editors of LIFE magazine. The translation was done by Anna R. Wierdsma. The Dutch book was published in Amsterdam by Het Parool in 1965. Colin MacInnes was a

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Book: Land in de verte – 1952

The book is a novel by Nevil Shute, published in English as The Far Country in 1952. The book is set in post-war England and Australia, and it tells the story of Jennifer Morton, a young woman who inherits some money from her grandfather and decides to visit her cousin

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“Australië” – “A Book of Australia” 1962

“A Book of Australia” by Tom Inglis Moore. The Dutch-language edition of “A Book of Australia” was translated by J.J.A. Bakker. The book was published in a hardcover edition and has a dust jacket. The front cover of the dust jacket features a painting of the Australian outback by the

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Information from the Dutch Emigration Service – 1953

Nederlandse Emigratiedienst, Australië. Dagelijks leven van emigranten tegen de achtergrond der Australische economie. Recente emigrantenbrieven, aangevuld met enkele belangrijke artikelen, welke de laatste tijd over Australië het licht zagen, themanummer van: Leven en Werken in den Vreemde. Actualiteiten ten behoeve van de Emigratie-voorlichting. Uitgave Nederlandse Emigratiedienst, 12 sept. 1953 This

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Podcast: ” Australië tot nu toe” SBS Dutch

Historicus Ingeborg van Teeseling bespreekt maandelijks een onderwerp uit de Australische geschiedenis. Van de na-oorlogse migratie stroom en de controverse omtrent Australia Day tot de herkomst van ‘single sex’ scholen. Historian Ingeborg van Teeseling discusses a topic from Australian history every month. From the post-war migration tide and the Australia

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Dutch in Victoria – Henk Overberg

Dr. Henk Overberg was a Senior Lecturer, School of Australian and International Studies at Deakin University, Melbourne and an academic researcher at Victoria College, Melbourne. He specialised in ethnic research and researched the history and culture of the Dutch community in Victoria, Australia. He is the author of several publications relevant the

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Frans Leddy reorganised Philips Australasia

By Hans Overberg Franciscus Nicolaas Leddy (1903-1964), company director, was born on 20 April 1903 at Rotterdam, the Netherlands, son of Franciscus Nicolaas Leddy, director of prisons, and his wife Cornelia, née Delabrie. Educated at Leiden high school and the Nederlandse Economische Hogeschool, Rotterdam, young Leddy began his professional career

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A Dutch journalist’s view of Australia in the 1950s

Mathieu Smedts was a Dutch journalist, writer and resistance fighter who became famous as the editor-in-chief of the political weekly magazine Vrij Nederland. He was born in 1913 in a small village in Limburg, a Catholic province in the south of the Netherlands. He wanted to become a priest, but

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Gids voor Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland – 1997

“Gids voor Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland” by A. J. van Zuilen. It was published in 1997 by J.H. Gottmer and is a Dutch guidebook for travelers to Australia and New Zealand. The book has 430 pages and includes maps and illustrations. It covers the geography, history, culture, attractions, and practical information

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Book: Nationale parken in Australië – 2000

The book ” National Parks in Australia” by Ron Moon was published in 2000 by Könemann and translated into Dutch by Jacques Meerman. The book covers 50 national parks across the country, from the tropical rainforests of Queensland to the rugged mountains of Tasmania. It includes information on the history,

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Study: Why potential emigrants cancelled their plans – 1959

Regeringscommissaris voor de Emigratie, Bureau Onderzoekingen, Annulering van emigratie. Een onderzoek bij 500 Australië-units naar de redenen, waarom zij van emigratie afzagen. ’s-Gravenhage: Regeringscommissaris voor de Emigratie, Bureau Onderzoekingen, 1959. This is a title of a report published in 1959 by the Regeringscommissaris voor de Emigratie, Bureau Onderzoekingen (Government Commissioner for Emigration,

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Dutch Society Neerlandia of WA Inc.

The earlier Dutch migrants that arrived in the late 1940’s had made several attempts to establish Dutch clubs in WA, such as the Dirck Hartogh Society and the Australian Dutch League, but these all folded after a short while. But during the early 1950’s the Dutch migrants arrived in larger

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Book: Toen wij uit Nederland vertrokken – 1983

Nelly de Rijk-Zaat, ‘Toen wij uit Nederland vertrokken’. Ervaringen van Nederlandse emigranten in Australië. ’s-Gravenhage: Katholieke Vereniging van Ouders en Familieleden van Geëmigreerden, [1983] This is a book that contains the experiences of Dutch emigrants in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, South Africa and France. The book is edited by

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Book: “Australië – 1968

Rohan Rivett, Australië, [vert. van: Australia. London: Oxford University Press, 1968, door J.N.H. Gevers Leuven-Dijkstra]. Nijkerk: Callenbach, 1969 is a book that provides an overview of Australia’s history, geography, culture and society. It covers topics such as Australia’s physical features, climate, flora and fauna, population, economy and history The book

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Girl’s book: Het geluk is vlakbij – 1956

Het geluk is vlakbij (Happiness is nearby) by Lenie Stafleu-Kruikemeier, a Dutch author. The book was first published in 1956 by Callenbach and has illustrations by Hans Borrebach. It was reprinted in 1981. The somewhat stubborn nineteen-year-old parentless Inge thinks she is too much mothered by her older married sisters

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Jan Wakker jockey

Jan Wakker was a Dutch-Australian jockey who had a successful career in horse racing. He was born on January 10, 1943, in Groningen, and emigrated to Australia in 1950.  His family settled in Moe. Fred Wakker (Jan’s father) found a racing pigeon in the family loft and decided to chase

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The Alssema Milk Factory in Perth

The Alssema family is a Dutch family who emigrated to Australia in the early 1900s. The family patriarch, Jan Alssema, was born in Nieuw-Lekkerland in 1865. He married Geertruida van der Meer (born in 1871 in Hardinxveld-Giessendam) in 1889, and they had six children together. In 1903, the Alssema family

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Dutch Folk Dancing Group

Dr. Cornelis Wouters was the founder of the Dutch Folk Dance Group, a group of over 30 enthusiastic Dutch immigrants (later joined by Australians who married Dutch immigrants). They performed folkloric dances at charitable association gatherings. No other group could boast such original national costumes, as all Dutch regional costumes

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Captain Fideldij Commander 18 Squadron (NEI) RAAF

Bernardus Jacobus Fiedeldij was born on February 25, 1907 in Amsterdam, Netherlands to Jacobus Fiedeldij and Maria van der Laan. He had two brothers, Hendrik and Willem, and one sister, Catharina. His parents were both from Amsterdam. His father was a carpenter and his mother was a homemaker. They were

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Surf Champion Dorothy de Rooy

Dorothy De Rooy (Vidgen) is a former professional surfer and champion who was born in Breda, Netherlands in 1948. When she was three years old, her family immigrated to Australia, and they eventually settled in Mona Vale, where her maternal grandparents were already living. Dorothy attended Mona Vale Public School

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Journalist and publisher Jan Rempt

‘Aan de rand der wereld. Een Hollandse emigrant in Australië’ with a foreword written by B.W. Haveman, Regeringscommissaris voor de Emigratie (Government Commissioner for Emigration) was published in Dokkum by Schaafsma & Brouwer in 1953. The book is written by Jan D. Rempt, a Dutch journalist who immigrated to Australia

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Footballer John “Jack” Pannenburg

John “Jack” Pannenburg was born in1946 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. His family immigrated to Australia when he was young, and he grew up in Mount Gambier, South Australia. Pannenburg was a talented footballer, and he joined West Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in 1966.

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The18 Squadron NEI RAAF moves to McDonald Airfield, NT

Burkholder Field (sometimes referred to as Burkeholder), later known as McDonald Airfield (sometimes incorrectly referred to as MacDonald), was located 10 miles north west of Pine Creek in the Northern Territory. The airfield was built by Company “A” and HQ Detachment of the 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion from 11 May to 16 July 1942

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Book: Australia, Her Heritage, Her Future – 1950

“Zó is Australië, land en volk” by Paul McGuire. It is a Dutch translation of the book “Australian Journey” originally written by J.L. van Tijn and published in London and Toronto by Heinemann in 1939. The Dutch edition was published by Heinemann in The Hague in 1950. The book explores

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Children’s book: Australisch avontuur – 1958

The book is titled Australisch avontuur, which means Australian adventure in English. It is a children’s book that tells the story of a Dutch boy who emigrates to Australia with his family and experiences various adventures in his new country. The author is H. te Merwe, a pseudonym of Nicolaas

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Emigration survey: Inpakken en wegwezen? – 1981

Ministerie van Sociale Zaken, Inpakken en wegwezen? Een onderzoek naar kenmerken en motieven van emigranten naar Australië, Canada en Nieuw-Zeeland. Onderzoek verricht door het Ministerie van Sociale Zaken met medewerking van het Instituut voor Psychologisch Marktonderzoek te Rotterdam en de Nederlandse Stichting voor Statistiek te ’s-Gravenhage. Den Haag: Ministerie van

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Adrian van Leest – potato king

Adrian van Leest was born in the Netherlands, where his father had a community garden plot. When the family moved to Australia in 1955, they lived in Creswick, Victoria, on a large block cultivated by Adrian from one end to the other. He was given a small allotment of nine

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Baukje den Exter -Bathurst Migrant Camp

We have copied this information from the “Belongings Website” as that website has been archived. This was part of a collaborative project between the Migration Heritage Centre and Tweed River Regional Museum. Boukje was interviewed by: Immy McKiernan, Tweed River Regional Museum Boukje van Exter Cultural background: Dutch Place of

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Stichting Emigrantenbelangen – 1952

The Stichting Emigrantenbelangen (Foundation for Emigrants’ Interests) was founded in 1952 in The Hague, with the aim of providing free advice and assistance to emigrants, in addition to the work of official agencies and confessional emigration centers. The foundation had its central office in Bazarstaat 16 in The Hague. The foundation

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Children’s book: Zeven kleine Australiërs – 1896

‘Zeven kleine Australiërs’ by Ethel Turner is a classic children’s novel about the adventures and misfortunes of seven siblings who live on a farm in Australia. It is originally written in English and published in 1894 under the title ‘Seven Little Australians’. It is translated and edited by Marie ten

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Emigranten en andere verhalen – 1933

It is published by Elsevier in Amsterdam in 1933. The book is written by Madelon Székely-Lulofs, a Dutch writer and journalist who was born in Indonesia and later moved to Hungary with her second husband, László Székely, a Hungarian planter and writer. She is best known for her novels about

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Book: Two Ways Meet: Stories of Migrants in Australia – 1967

The book Two Ways Meet: Stories of Migrants in Australia is a collection of 16 short stories by different authors who share their experiences of migrating to Australia from various countries and cultures. The stories explore themes such as identity, belonging, adaptation, discrimination, and integration. Some of the stories are

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Book: Australië by journalist Verberne – 1950

P.E.H.M. Verberne was a Dutch journalist and author. He was born in 1904 in Amsterdam, and died in 1968. He was a member of the Dutch resistance during World War II, and was imprisoned in a concentration camp for a time. After the war, he worked as a journalist for

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Frisian book: Legge Hannen by Djoke Weening-Meijer – 1987

Djoke Weening-Meijer (1920-1990) is a Dutch writer who was born in Drachten, Friesland, in 1949. She studied Dutch language and literature at the University of Groningen, and after graduating she worked as a teacher and journalist. She is a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW). She lives

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Taeke Cnossen – Reformed Emigration Vereeniging

Taeke Cnossen (Idzega, June 20, 1896 – Leeuwarden, January 12, 1988) was a Dutch journalist. He was editor of the reformed Friesch Dagblad (1919-1921) and the anti-revolutionary daily De Standaard (1921-1943). He was one of the co-founders of the Reformed Emigration Vereeniging (GEV), founded on November 23, 1927. After a

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Book: Always more potato – 1951

Petronella E. Wilson is the author of a book titled Always more potato. From Deventer to Tallangatta. An Olthof family history, which was published by Wilson in Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia in 1996. The book is a family history of the Olthof family, who emigrated from Deventer, Netherlands to Tallangatta, Australia

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Children’s Book: De dans van de wilde bij – 1997

Thea Klein Schiphorst-Witteveenn is the author of a book titled De dans van de wilde bij, which was published by Callenbach in Baarn in 1997. The book is a children’s book about a 13-year-old girl named Saskia who emigrates with her family from the Netherlands to Australia and has to

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Australië. Het nieuwe vaderland – 1954

Australië. Het nieuwe vaderland is a travel guide and cultural introduction to Australia and New Zealand, written by E. en B. Degrood and published by Zomer en Keuning in Wageningen in 1954. The book provides information on geography, history, economy, society, and customs, and is illustrated with photographs and maps.

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Book: Op weg naar de toekomst – 1954

Klaas van der Geest (Schiermonnikoog, 27 november 1903-10 oktober 1964). Op weg naar de toekomst. Nijkerk: Callenbach, [1954] (2e dr. 1979; ook verschenen als grote-letter-boek (Eindhoven: Grootdruk-uitgeverij, 1989). Klaas van der Geest, Towards the future. Nijkerk: Callenbach, [1954] (2nd edition 1979; also published as a large-print book (Eindhoven: Grootdruk-uitgeverij, 1989).

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Children’s book: De Zevende Hemel – 1977

De zevende hemel is the name of a neighborhood café. In that café Lize comes home after a long stay in Australia where her father had an important position at a large factory. When Lize said goodbye to her playmate Mazzel she was an innocent little girl. When Lize sees

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Textile artist Annemieke Mein

Annemieke Mein was born in Haarlem, in 1944. Her Dutch heritage has had a significant influence on her art. Growing up in the Netherlands had a profound impact on her appreciation for nature and the environment. She spent much of her childhood exploring her grandparents’ garden in the Netherlands and

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Dr. Cornelis Wouters and the Dutch language

In the 1950s, Dr. Cornelis Wouters advocated for more attention to be given to the culture of the countries from which many immigrants had settled in Australia, in the country’s education system. He argued that this could be achieved by broadening the curriculum to include lessons in languages other than

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Netball champion Ingrid Huisken

Ingrid Huisken is a Dutch-Australian former netball player who had a successful career playing for both Australia and the Netherlands. She was born on January 16, 1961, in Leiden. Her family migrated to Australia when she was 12 years old in 1973. Ingrid began her netball career playing for the

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Vossie’s Supermarkets in Tasmania

Roelf Vos was a successful Australian businessman and philanthropist, born on a boat in Bergum (later Burgum), the Netherlands, on 4 October 1921. During World War II, he was involved in the Dutch Resistance and had to hide from German forces. After the war, he opened a drapery store in

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Peter Tangelder discus throwing champion.

Peter Tangelder is a former Dutch-Australian discus thrower who had a successful career in the sport. He was born on December 13, 1958, in the Netherlands, and migrated to Australia in the early 1980s. Tangelder was a member of the Australian athletics team for several years and competed in many

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Christel van der Laan: A Contemporary Jeweller

Christel van der Laan is a contemporary jeweller based in Perth, Western Australia. She was born in 1963 in Son en Breugel, the Netherlands, and moved to Australia in 1981. She graduated from Edith Cowan University in Perth with a Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Fashion and Jewellery Design in

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Manon van Kouswijk – jeweler

Manon van Kouswijk, a Dutch artist born in 1967, has been residing and creating in Melbourne since 2010. She received her education at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, where she later became the Head of the Jewellery department from 2007 to 2010. Central to Manon’s artistic approach is her

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16 Dutch books from the emigration Period

Books about Dutch girls in Australia (1960s) Dutch Children’s book”: “Stel je voor dat ik ging emigreren” Children’s book – Stampende hoeven. Tom Hoekstra als veedrijver in Australië Children’s book: Tula, de kleine houtsnijder Children’s book: Zes weken op de boot (Six weeks on the boat) Children’s book: Emigrante tegen

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Books about Dutch girls in Australia (1960s)

Catharina Fenne Charlotte (Tine) Jager-Meursing was a Dutch author who wrote several books for children and young adults. She was born in 1891 in Amsterdam, and she died in Amersfoort in 1979. Jager-Meursing’s books are known for their humor, their heartwarming stories, and their positive messages. She was a popular

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Children’s book: Tula, de kleine houtsnijder (1956)

Tula, de kleine houtsnijder (Tula, the Little Woodcarver) is a children’s book written by S. Franke and illustrated by G. van Straaten. It was published by Kluitman in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, in 1956. The book tells the story of Tula, a young Aboriginal boy who lives in the Australian bush.

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Dutch Women Share Their Emigration Stories – 1960

A book published by the Emigratie Commissie van het Nederlandse Vrouwen Comité (Emigration Committee of the Dutch Women’s Committee) features writings by emigrant women who share their experiences from afar. The book, titled “Ons tweede huis: Emigrantenvrouwen schrijven van verre” (Our Second Home: Emigrant Women Writing from Afar), was released

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Emigration Commission of the Dutch Women’s Committee

The Emigration Commissieloon of the Dutch Women’s Committee, or in Dutch, “Emigratie Commissie van het Nederlandse Vrouwen Comité,” was an organisation dedicated to supporting Dutch women in the emigration process. The committee was active during a time when emigration from the Netherlands to other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and

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Historical novel “De Coopers van Sydney”- 1962

De Coopers van Sydney (The Coopers from Sydney) is a Dutch historical novel by E. Eichholtz, first published in 1962. The novel tells the story of a group of Dutch coopers who travel to Sydney, Australia, in the early 19th century. The coopers are hired to build a new brewery,

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De Australiër (The Northerner) – 1954

De Australiër, is authorised translation of The Northerner, 1954, written by Joan Colebook and translated by Hans de Vries. Den Haag: Zuid-Hollandsche Uitgeversmaatschappij, 1963. The Northerner by Joan Colebrook is a historical novel set in North Queensland, Australia, in the late 19th century. The novel tells the story of the

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They Came to Australia: An Anthology – 1962

“They Came to Australia: An Anthology” is a book edited by Alan Brissenden and Charles Higham. Published in 1962 by Angus and Robertson, it is a collection of writings that highlights the experiences of various individuals who came to Australia. The anthology aims to provide a diverse and comprehensive perspective

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Dutch schools and courses

Dutch Courses University of Queensland:  https://iml.uq.edu.au/learn-language/learn-dutch Listen and Learn Australia Melbourne (online) https://www.listenandlearnaustralia.com.au/learn-dutch Dutch Language Institute Sydney https://sydneylanguagesolutions.com.au/dutch-course/ Centre for Adult Education Melbourne: https://www.cae.edu.au/course_category/all-languages/dutch/ Language one Perh https://www.languageone.org/locations/languageone-perth/ Schools Dutch School De Kangoeroe Sydney https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-culture/new-online-classes-at-dutch-school-de-kangoeroe-in-sydney-2/ De Duyfken School Brisbane: https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-culture/vacature-bij-de-duyfkenschool-in-brisbane/ Nederlandse school De Leesplank Melbourne: http://www.deleesplank.com/ Dutch school Abeltje Canberra

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The Duyfken – hosts the Compagnie Batavia

Scroll down for the picture gallery of the Compagnie Batavia sailing on the Duyfken on Sydney Harbour – May 2023 The first documented and undisputed European sighting of and landing in Australia was in late February 1606, by the Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon aboard the Duyfken. Janszoon charted the Australian

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Dutch-Australian photographer Richard Woldendorp

This article is written with the assistance of Richard’s wife Lyn she also made the photo selection below. Lyn is a photo librarian and has been doing this for 60 years.  Richard Woldendorp was born in Utrecht, Holland on the 1st January 1927, and lived for some time in Leeuwarden

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Unilever and the Australian link to the rise of margarine.

In 1869, a French chemist named Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès invented a spread made from beef tallow and skimmed milk that he called “margarine.” Margarine was initially viewed with suspicion and was slow to catch on in Europe, but by the late 19th century, it had become popular as a cheaper alternative

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Elisabeth Holdsworth poet and writer of short stories

Born in the Netherlands in January 1947, just after WWII in the south-western province of Zeeland, Elisabeth’s family name is de Rijke-Nassau, one of the branches of the Nassaus sharing the common ancestry of Charlemagne and Willem and Juliana de Rijke. The de Rijkes, and their identification as part of

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VFA top football scorer 1966 – Ben Nusteling

Ben Nusteling was a Dutch Australian Australian Rules footballer who was born in Dordrecht, Netherlands, on February 27, 1939. His family immigrated to Australia when he was a child, and he grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran. Nusteling played for the Prahran Football Club in the Victorian Football

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Marguerite Ruygrok – Olympic Breaststroke Swimmer

Marguerite Ruygrok was born on June 3, 1947, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She migrated with her family to Australia at a young age. She began swimming at an early age and showed considerable talent for the sport, particularly in breaststroke events. Ruygrok first came to national attention when she won

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Henk Vogels Olympic Cyclist

Henk (Hendricus) Vogels (Haarlem, 1 November 1942 – 9 August 2019) was a Dutch professional cyclist who immigrated to Australia with his parents and siblings in 1955. His father, a plumber, settled the family in Riverton, Western Australia. His father supported him in establishing his cycling career and this resulted eventually

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Gymnastics Olympian Benjamin de Roo

Benjamin Hielke de Roo was a renowned Australian gymnast who was born on 11 February 1940 in Enschede. His family emigrated to Australia in 1957, and he became an Australian citizen in 1960. De Roo started his gymnastics career in the Netherlands and continued his passion for the sport when

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Fencing Olympian Hilbert van Dijk

Hilbert van Dijk was born on 24 September 1918 in the Netherlands, and he grew up in Amsterdam. He learned to fence at a young age and became one of the top epee fencers in the country, consistently ranked among the top six. Van Dijk immigrated to Australia in 1948,

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Harry van der Sluys famous Australian comedian

Hyam van der Sluice (sometimes spelled “Sluys”) was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 1855 and arrived in Adelaide, Australia, in 1882. He married Amelia (nee Barnett)in Adelaide in 1886, and they had seven children. Hyam was of Dutch-Jewish heritage, while Amelia was of English-Jewish heritage. Hyam passed away in

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Magician Rids van der Zee (1923-2003)

Rids van der Zee was a Dutch-born magician who immigrated to Australia in 1954. He was born in the Frisian town of Franeker, in 1923. Van der Zee was a skilled magician who specialised in close-up magic and sleight of hand. He performed under the stage name “Rids the Flying

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William Lodewyk Crowther – 14th Premier of Tasmania

William Lodewyk Crowther was a Tasmanian politician who served as the 14th Premier of Tasmania from December 1878 to October 1879. He was born on April 15, 1817, in Haarlem, Netherlands, and later moved to Hobart, Tasmania, where he pursued a career in medicine and became a prominent surgeon. Crowther’s

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Frank Broeze – maritime historian

Franklin Jan Aart Broeze, who went by Frank Broeze, was a prominent maritime historian and academic who was born on January 20, 1945, in Rijswijk, Netherlands. Broeze grew up in the Netherlands and attended Leiden University, where he earned his Ph.D. in maritime history. Frank Broeze emigrated to Australia in

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Anthropologist Mark de Graaf

Mark de Graaf came to Australia in 1958. He studied a Claremont Teachers College and the University of Western Australia to become a geology teacher. He took part in the Perth Drama Festival and the first live television show produced in Perth. He also worked ads a part time actor

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Ornithologist Jonkheer Gerard Frederick van Tets

Jonkheer Gerard Frederick van Tets, also known as Jerry van Tets, was a renowned ornithologist and paleontologist who made significant contributions to the study of birds and prehistoric life. He was born on January 19, 1929, in London, England, to Dutch parents, jhr. Hendrik Barthout van Tets, heer van Goidschalxoord,

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Sunrise Choral Society – Blacktown

Sunrise Choral Society was a Dutch choral group that formed in Blacktown in 1959 under the name “Morgenrood”. Initially their repertoire was purely Dutch., however they became increasingly more anglicised. They held an International Festival of Song, Dance, and Music in 1976 as a fundraiser for the Blacktown Hospital. Other

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Dutch Choir and Folkloric Group Dee Why

The Dutch Choir and Folkloric Group Dee Why was a choral group formed by 25 Dutch parishioners of the Dee Why Presbyterian Church in Sydney, Australia in 1958. Initially, the group was primarily focused on performing liturgical music for the church, but it later expanded its repertoire to include Dutch

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Opera singer Pieter van der Stock

Pieter van der Stock was born on November 18, 1933, in Rotterdam. At a certain stage he moved to Britain, here he appeared in several BBC television shows and films, including “Z Cars,” “Doctor Who,” and “The Secret Agent.” According to the National Library of Australia, Pieter van der Stock

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Ballet Dancer Willy de la Bye

Willy de la Bye was born on August 25, 1934, in The Hague, Netherlands. She began her dance training at a young age and went on to study with several renowned teachers and choreographers in Europe, including Maurice Béjart and Martha Graham. In 1957, de la Bye joined the Dutch

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Free Reformed Church of Australia

The Free Reformed Church of Australia (FRCA) is a Protestant denomination that has its roots in the Dutch Reformed tradition. The church was established in the 1950s in Australia, as a result of Dutch immigration to the country. The FRCA subscribes to the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg

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“Het Kompas” for the Dutch Catholic Community in Sydney.

“Het Kompas” was a Dutch-language publication that was established in Sydney in the early 1950s, by Catholic Dutch Migrant Organisation (CDMO) (Katholieke Nederlandse Migranten Organisatie – KNMO). It was a Catholic publication aimed at serving the Dutch Catholic community in Sydney and the surrounding areas. Dr Cornelius Wouters served as

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Dutch Catholic publication: the Contact Perth (established 1955)

“Contact” was a Dutch-language publication that was established in Perth, Australia in 1955. It was a Catholic publication aimed at serving the Dutch Catholic community in Perth and the surrounding areas. The publication focused on Catholic news and events related to the Dutch Catholic community. It also featured articles on

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Sportblad S.C. Windmills – Dutch football club Perth

“Sportblad S.C. Windmills” was a Dutch-language publication that was established in Perth, Australia in 1958. It was the official publication of the Dutch soccer club S.C. “Windmills,” which was also founded in 1958 to serve the Dutch community in Perth and surrounding areas. The publication focused on soccer news and

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“De Stuw” Dutch-language publication llawarra, 1952.

“De Stuw” is a Dutch-language publication that was established in Illawarra, Australia in 1952. It was the monthly stenciled organ of the Nederlands Australische Vereniging (Dutch Australian Association) in Illawarra, which was founded that same year to serve the Dutch community in the Illawarra region of New South Wales. The

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“Mededelingen” Dutch-language publication Hobart (1952- 1955).

“Mededelingen Ned. Vereniging “Abel Tasman”” was a Dutch-language publication that was established in Hobart, Australia in 1952. It was published by the Dutch Association “Abel Tasman,” which was founded in 1950 to serve the Dutch community in Tasmania. The publication focused on Dutch-Australian cultural and community news, as well as

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“Je Maintiendrai” former Dutch-language magazine Adelaide

“Je Maintiendrai” is a Dutch-language magazine that was established in Adelaide, Australia in 1957. The magazine was published by the Dutch Australian Association of South Australia, which was founded in 1951 to serve the Dutch community in Adelaide and surrounding areas. The “Je Maintiendrai” (Ik zal Handhaven) motto represents the

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De Nieuwe Wereld Dutch-language newspaper 1955 to 1961

De Nieuwe Wereld was a Dutch-language newspaper published in Australia from 1955 to 1961. The newspaper was founded by a group of Dutch immigrants who had settled in Australia after World War II, and it was intended to serve as a means of communication and community building for the Dutch

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The Dutch immigration press

The post-World War II immigration to Australia began in 1947-8 with only a few persons of Dutch birth. However, the numbers increased rapidly, and by the time of the 1954 Census, 42,000 persons born in the Netherlands were enumerated in Australia. This number almost doubled by the 1961 Census and

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Reformed Theologian Rev. John Vanderbom

Rev. John Vanderbom (1913-1992) was a Dutch-born Australian Reformed pastor. He was born in the Netherlands and migrated to Australia in 1951. His parish originally centred on Sydney but extended from Brisbane to the Victorian border. He later worked in southern Tasmania. After completing his theological studies in the Netherlands,

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Dutch-language Catholic magazine – Onze Gids

Onze Gids was a Dutch-language Catholic magazine established in Australia in 1950. The magazine was published by the Catholic Printing and Publishing Company in Melbourne, Australia, and was aimed at Dutch immigrants to Australia. The magazine featured articles on Catholicism, current events, and cultural topics, as well as news and

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Reindert Meijer on Dutch Literature

R.P. Meijer was born on 18 January 1926 in Amsterdam. He studied Dutch at the University of Amsterdam where he graduated in Dutch language and literature in 1950. He obtained his PhD in Dutch literature in 1958. Meijer has taught and researched at various universities in the Netherlands and abroad.

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Cornelis Vleeskens – Performance Poet

Cornelis Vleeskens (1948-2012) was a Dutch-Australian poet, translator, and visual artist known for his experimental and wide-ranging works. Vleeskens arrived in Australia as a Dutch immigrant in 1958, and he spent much of his life exploring themes of cultural identity, politics, and social justice through his artistic pursuits. Throughout his

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Jean Orval Stained glass artist

Jean Orval was born in Tegelen, Holland in May 1911 and died in Hamilton, Victoria in March 1987. As early as 1926 his emerging talent won him 1st prize in drawing at a Home Industry Expo in Helden-Panningen, Holland. In 1927 a National newspaper honoured him with 1st prize for

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Stained Glass Artist Rein Slagmolen

Marinus “Rein” Slagmolen (7 November 1916 – 29 January 1999) was a Dutch-Australian artist and sculptor with a background in chemical research. Slagmolen was born in the province of Utrecht, Netherlands, as the youngest son of Gijsbertus Slagmolen and Mathilda Maria Slagmolen-Jacobs. As a young man, he spent some years

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Adrian Mauriks – sculptor

Adrian Mauriks was a Dutch-born Australian artist who was born in 1942 and passed away in 2020. He emigrated to Australia with his family in 1957 when he was still young. His family was involved in the printing business, and Adrian completed his apprenticeship in printing before developing an interest

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Berend van der Struik – teacher, designer, sculptor.

Berend van der Struik was a Dutch artist, born on 24 July1929 in Beilen. He studied at the Akademie voor Industriële Vormgeving Eindhoven and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière (Parijs). He emigrated to Australia in 1957 and lived there until 1964. He was a teacher, designer, and sculptor, and

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Ernst van Hattum – first director Mildura Art Gallery

(We are interested in further details and corrections on the personal info mentioned in this article). Ernst van Hattum was a Dutch-Australian artist who was born on January 29, 1923, in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Arnhem, Netherlands from 1940 to 1942, before

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Renown Potter Henri Le Grand

Henricus Alexander Theodorus (Henri) Le Grand, was born on May 10, 1921, in Zevenaar, the Netherlands. His parents were Petrus Egidius Hubertus Le Grand, a laborer of French-Dutch descent, and Elisabetha Antoinetta van Haren. Henri studied art and ceramics at the Instituut voor Kunstnijverheidsonderwijs te Amsterdam from 1938 to 1942.

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Alex Rotteveel – founder Little Theatre Maryborough

We are looking for more information on Alex Rotteveel. Alexander Johannes Rotteveel was born August 11, 1916 at Assen, Assen, Drenthe, Nederland, he died in Toowoomba Qld December 18 1993. He was married to Bouwina Fekkes, born January 10th, 1919 at Assen, Assen, Drenthe, Nederland. She died in Brisbane in

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WIM de VOS – Artist, teacher, musician.

Dutch-born artist Wim de Vos (1947-2018) was born in The Hague and migrated to Brisbane with his family in 1959. Wim’s passion for the arts led him to pursue diplomas in Commercial Illustration and Fine Art at the Queensland College of Art, where he received honors in Printmaking. After his

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Pieter Zaadstra book illustrator artist

Pieter Zaadstra was a Dutch-born Australian artist born on January 15th, 1955, at Skraerd, Frisia. He is the son of an art historian. He began his art journey as a young boy sketching in various studios that followed the School of Den Hague impressionism style using cross-hatching oil painting techniques.

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Hendrik Kolenberg Art Curator – Art Gallery of NSW

Hendrik Kolenberg is an Australian art curator and writer who was born in 1952 in the Netherlands and migrated to Australia with his family in 1959. Kolenberg was the senior curator of Australian prints, drawings and watercolours at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 1989 until 2012. During

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Abstract Painter – Fashion Design – Jan Riske

Jan Hendrik Riske was born on the Voorstraat in Dordrecht on 21 June 1932, the second of eight children, to Hendrik and Francine Riske. His father was a lead-light glazier who wanted to become an artist but had been discouraged by his staunchly Protestant family. Jan attended a private Montessori

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Abstract impressionist Ian van Wieringen

Ian Van Wieringen (1943-2022) was a Dutch-Australian artist born on January 15, 1943, in war-torn Holland. His mother Betty was Jewish, and during her pregnancy, she and her husband were helping to smuggle Jews out of Europe, creating an environment of tension and drama that may have influenced his emotional

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Mystery: Contemporary artist Maria Blansjaar

It interesting, we found reference suggestions for her (see belkow), but none of the links are working anymore, nor is there any info on her paintings mentioned in the collections. It is as if she has disappeared from the internet. Any further information is welcome. Maria Theresia Wilhelmina Blansjaar is

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Alfred and Joke Calkoen – Dutch-Australian painters

Alfred Calkoen was a Dutch-Australian artist who played an important role in the development of the visual arts in Victoria, Australia. He was born on January 1, 1917, in Amsterdam he finished his study in the Netherlands in the Nieuwe Kunstschool (Amsterdam). During his career he also was an art

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Netherlands East Indies Commission for Australia and New Zealand

Prelude Following hastily established diplomatic relationships in January 1942, the Australian Labor Government offered the Dutch, after the fall of NEI, shear unlimited support in relation to facilities and training, while at the same time providing them with a remarkable high level of independence for their operations in Australia. What

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Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile in Australia (1944-1946)

Apart from policies regarding the direction of a post-war NEI there was tension between the Dutch-government-in-exile and the NEI government-in-exile, in relation to the decision-making process. Soon after the liberation of the southern Netherlands, on 14 September 1944, the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina decreed from London the official formation of a

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Three unique Dutch movies during WWII from around Australia

Amateur movies made by Mr. Arie Berger. Source Netherlands Ministry of Defence Movie #3 – 1943 Beeldbank – Department of Defence – Netherlands Movie #4 1943 -1944 Beeldbank – Department of Defence – Netherlands Movie #5 1945 -1946 Beeldbank – Department of Defence – Netherlands See also: The Dutch at

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Kingsford Smith flew in a Dutch plane with a Dutch co-pilot

After the successful trans-Pacific flight of the Southern Cross in 1928, Kingsford Smith and his team continued to break new ground in aviation. In 1930, Kingsford Smith and his crew, which included co-pilot Evert van Dijk, completed the first non-stop flight between Australia and England in a Fokker F.VIIb/3m aircraft

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The Dutch and USA’s 7th Fleet

The United States 7th Fleet is responsible for operations in the Western Pacific Ocean. It was formed on March 15, 1943, in Brisbane, Australia, during World War II. The fleet was initially commanded by Vice Admiral Arthur S. Carpender, and it consisted of the cruisers USS Minneapolis and USS New

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The Dutch at Batchelor Airport in the Northern Territory

Batchelor Airport is a former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base located in Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia. The base was established in 1942 during World War II and was used primarily as a bomber base for the RAAF’s No. 1 Operational Training Unit. During the war, Batchelor Airport was also

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A short overview of the Dutch exploration of Torres Strait

Scroll down and a map shows up with New Guinea connected to Australia but a small missing part on that map shows where in this perspective the Torres Strait could have been. See also: The Colonial Warship the Doerga explored northern Australia (1825-1826) Dutch Explorers in the Gulf of Carpentaria

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Jan Logeman and Juliana Village – Sydney

Juliana Village in Miranda in Sydney’s South came about thanks largely to the vision and drive of one man: Johan (Jan, John) Logeman (more info on Jan in the pdf below). The idea was born when he he was recovering from a heart illness. Talking to people around him it

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Christian Reformed Churches of Australia

The Reformed Church in Australia has its roots in the Dutch Reformed tradition, which traces its origins back to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. The Dutch Reformed Church emerged in the Netherlands in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it became one of the dominant religious and cultural

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Dutch Settlers of the Latrobe Valley

“Settlers of the Latrobe Valley: A Sociological Study of Immigrants in the Brown Coal Industry in Australia” is book by Polish-Australian sociologist and academic Jerzy Zubrzycki. The book includes two detailed studies, of the Dutch at Moe and the Ukrainians at Newborough, directed to testing the validity of generalisations about

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Maerten van Delft explored northern coast in 1705

Maerten van Delft was a Dutch explorer who conducted an expedition in 1705 to explore the western and northern coastlines of what is now known as Australia. The expedition was organised by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The expedition played a significant role in the early European history and

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Marayke Jonkers – Paralympic Swimming Champion

Marayke Caroline Jonkers was born on 13 September 1981 in Hobart. Her parents are of Dutch descent and migrated to Australia before she was born. She moved to Queensland as a baby. She currently (2023) lives in the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. She became a paraplegic due to a car

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The famous tulip growing Tesselaar family

The following information is abstracted from the Tesselaar website. In June 1939 – just weeks before the outbreak of World War 2 in Europe – Cees and Johanna Tesselaar left their home in Beverwijk, the Netherlands and on their wedding day aboard the Strathallan. They were headed for Australia, bringing little

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Jessie Catherine Couvreur- Dutch-Tassie author ( 1848-1897)

Born in Highgate, London, Jessie Catherine Couvreur was of Dutch, French, and English descent, with her father, Alfred James Huybers, originally a merchant from Antwerp. She arrived in Tasmania with her family in December 1852 and received her education in Hobart. In June 1867, she married Charles F. Fraser and

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Early cubist artist Harry den Hartog (1902-1984)

Henricus Marie (Harry) den Hartog (1902-1984) was a Dutch-born artist who emigrated to Australia in 1923. He is known for his contribution to the development of cubism in Australia. Den Hartog was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and studied art at the Rotterdam Academy. After completing his studies, he moved to

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Jacob Carabain Dutch-Belgian – Melbourne – 1885

Jacob Frans Jozef Carabain, also known as Jacques François Joseph Carabain, was a Dutch-Belgian painter. He was renowned for his Romantic-Realist style, particularly his depictions of cities and buildings. Carabain’s interest in Medieval and Baroque architecture often led him to paint busy marketplaces. Carabain initially studied at the Amsterdamer Kunstakademie,

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Willem de Vlamingh – Visiting ‘Perth’ in1696

In 1696, De Vlamingh commanded the rescue mission to Australia’s west coast to look for survivors of the Ridderschap van Holland that had gone missing two years earlier. There were three ships under his command: the frigate Geelvink, captained by De Vlamingh himself; the Nijptang, under Captain Gerrit Collaert; and

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Fokke Jacob de Jong – jumped ship and settled in Victoria

Fokke Jacob de Jong was born on December 18, 1841, in Oldeboorn, Friesland, Netherlands. His parents were Jacob de Jong and Antje Jans Rinzema. It looks like he jumped ship somewhere around 187e and settled in the Romsey area. According to Australian marriage records, Fokke Jacob de Jong married Sarah

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Van Alkemade’s Major Plains Limekiln in Lara Victoria

Petrus van Alkemade, also known (in Australia) as Peter Alkemade, was born in Noordwijk, Netherlands in 1835. Son of Petrus van Alkemade, also known (in Australia) as Peter Alkemade, was born in Noordwijk, Netherlands in 1835. Son of Cornelis Cornelisz Alkemade and Alida Aris van der Plas. He arrived in

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Dutch Migrants and the gold rush of the 1850s.

Obviously the Big Australian Gold Rush that started in the 1850s and 1860s had also reached the news in the Netherlands. It looks like that several potential prospectors signed on as sailor on the many merchants ship with the aim to jump ship in Australia and try their luck on

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Queen Wilhelmina Benevolent Trust Funds

Established in 1903 to support sailors who had jumped ship Established as the Queen Wilhelmina Benevolent Trust Fund, it was established in 1903 to support Dutch sailors who found themselves in need of financial assistance after jumping ship in foreign ports. At the time, many Dutch sailors were facing difficult

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First contact between the Dutch and the Aboriginal People

The first known Dutch encounters with the Aborigines in Australia took place during the 17th century, when Dutch ships were looking for new trading opportunities and made voyages of discovery to the region now known as Australia. It’s worth noting, however, that the lack of recorded incidents does not mean

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Dutch persons among convicts transported to Australia

While most convicts transported to Australia came from Britain or Ireland there are also a remarkable number of Dutch names under the convicts. Some might have been Dutch people living in England, but others in one way or another also ended up in Australia. The following is a list of

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Dr. Edward Duyker, historian, author.

Dr Edward Duyker was born in 1955  to a father from the Netherlands and a mother from Mauritius. His mother has ancestors from Cornwall who emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia, in 1849. Edward’s father Herman, was born in Schaesberg, Limburg and emigrated to Australia in 1950 and arrived here on

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The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command – 1942

The American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) Command, or ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in Southeast Asia, the area also included the supply port of Darwin, in the Northern Territory, Australia.  ABDA had been established  at Bandung, Java on 10 January 1942 and became operational following the declaration of war

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Dutch language and schooling in Sydney

Despite the poor level of language retention among the descendants of the Netherlands-born, Dutch remains an important community language in Sydney. In 2002 a new Dutch syllabus was introduced to the New South Wales Higher School Certificate. However, the number of students sitting for Dutch exams at the end of

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70 years since the 1953 North Sea Flood ‘Watersnoodramp’

Just as there have been extreme weather events in Australia last year carrying over into this year resulting in devastating floods over large areas of Australia resulting in  loss of life, livelihood and billions of dollars’ worth of damage to property and infrastructure, so there was seventy years ago an

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Jan Hendrik Scheltema Dutch-Australian Painter (1861-1941)

Two Dutchmen, both passed way, members of the same extended family, yet three generations apart, made a noticeable contribution to Australian culture, by just going about their business. The artist Jan Hendrik Scheltema migrated here in the 19th century, and the other was his great-nephew Cas Jeekel, who just visited

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Jan Hendrik Scheltema Dutch-Australian Painter

Two Dutchmen, both now passed way, members of the same extended family, yet three generations apart, made a noticeable contribution to Australian culture, by just going about their business. The artist Jan Hendrik Scheltema by migrating here in the 19th century, and the other his great-nephew Cas Jeekel by just

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The fascinating history of the DC3 Wielewaal (1937-now)

It was the 67th DC-3 (model Douglas DC-3-194B. c/n 1944) to be completed by the Douglas factory in California. It was the 10th DC3 purchased by KLM for the route Amsterdam-Batavia and received the name ‘Wielewaal’ (Golden Oriole). Initial registration sign: VH-ANR. The aircraft was flown from Santa Monica to

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Bible Restoration Project

The Bible was donated to the DACC by Ellie Zinsmeester. It dates from 1768 and was deaccessioned (officially disposed off) by the church around 1940. It was brought to Australia when Ellie’s father migrated to Australia. Karma Rowe from the Dutch Genealogy Group, who previously restored some books for the

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Looking for information on military ancestors

Bent u op zoek naar informatie over uw militaire voorouder? Bent u op zoek naar gegevens over uw militaire voorouder? Als deze heeft gediend in de Nederlandse krijgsmacht dan is er altijd een militair persoonsdossier (Staat van Dienst). Om deze Staat van Dienst op te vragen moet u weten bij

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The Batavia and its many stories

Latest developments Wreck of the Batavia brought back to life in forensic reconstruction by Flinders University The Batavia – 1629 The Batavia, built in Amsterdam in 1628 was the company’s new flagship, she sailed that year on her maiden voyage for Batavia. On 4 June 1629, the Batavia was wrecked

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Annual Nieuwjaarsduik in Bondi, Sydney

After a Covid initiated break of 2 years, on January I, 2023 Bondi Beach Australia turned orange again, also this year organised by Dutch Travel.   Under different climate conditions the original event in Scheveningen takes place under more severe conditions. Afterwards the participants do get erwtensoep met UNOX rookworst

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The history of Shell in Australia – since 1901

Shell Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell. Shell has operated in Australia since 1901, initially delivering bulk fuel into Australia, then establishing storage and distribution terminals, oil refineries, and a network of service stations. It extended its Australian activities to oil exploration, petrochemicals and coal mining, and

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Archive files 1953 North Sea Flood ‘Watersnoodramp’

This post contains articles from newpares and magazines and archoval material from The DACC. Go back to the main article. Newspapers and magazines with pictures from the Flood You can open each newspaper in a new tab to read it. Books about Flood. Reporting on the flood for the Dutch

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Kees Lumkes imported the first tulips in Australia

Written by his daughter Wilma Summerville Kornelius Berend Lumkes  ( 26/2/1911 to 13/7/1984) son of Willem Lumkes was born in Groningen, Netherlands. His parents were old at his birth and his only sibling was 16 years older. His family were quite affluent and had a large grain farm. The house

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Australia on the Map 1606-2006

Australia on the Map” (AOTM) is the history and heritage division of the Australasian Hydrographic Society (AHS). This website consequently focusses on important themes in Australian hydrographic history and heritage. This includes maritime exploration and the mapping of Australia, and where relevant, New Zealand. As an educational resource, which was

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Marta Dusseldorp – Actress

Marta Dusseldorp (born 1 February 1973), the granddaughter of Dick Dusseldorp, the founder of Lend Lease. Martha is an Australian stage, film and theatre actress. Her television credits include BlackJack, Crownies (and its spin-off Janet King), Jack Irish and A Place to Call Home. Her story is told in the

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Guillaume Daniel Delprat (1856-1937) Metallurgist at BHP

Guillaume Daniel Delprat was born on 1 September 1856 at Delft, son of Major General Felix Albert Theodore Delprat (1812-1888), sometime minister of war, and his wife Elisabeth Francina, née van Santen Kolff. From 1873 to 1877 he served an engineering apprenticeship in Scotland. In 1879 he married Henrietta Maria

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Personal recollections Camp Columbia – Jean van Schilfgaarde

Personal recollections Camp Columbia – Jean van Schilfgaarde The information below is the exact text of a letter from Jean van Schilfgaarde to Dr Jack Ford in 1992. Jack had contacted her for his research for his publication: Allies in bind: Australia and the Netherlands East Indies relations during World War Two. This

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Dutch at WWII Camp Columbia Brisbane 1944 – 1947

Camp Columbia in the suburb of Wacol in Brisbane was a United States Army military camp. It was built in 1942 to accommodate American troops. The Sixth US Army Headquarters was formed and stationed here. It also hosted two hospitals and an Officer Candidate School till 1945.  This was the

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Akky van Ogtrop – Art Curator

Akky van Ogtrop graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, s-Hertogenbosch, TheNetherlands, majoring in printmaking, and has a Masters Degree Fine Arts, Sydney University. As a director and project manager of major arts events, Akky has worked for national andinternational arts organisations including: the Biennale of Sydney, ARTiculate Campaign,

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Dr Ray Kerkhove Historian specialising in Aboriginal history

Ray was born in ‘s-Gravenhage (The Hague). In 1965, at the age of 4, he migrated to Sydney with his family – his parents Wim Kerkhove and Cornelia (in Australia ‘Corinne’) Kerkhove (Muusse), and sister Louise Wilhelmina Kerkhove (now Freebairn). In Indonesia, Ray’s father Wim served in the Dutch-Indonesian War

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Long agriculture history between Australia and the Netherlands

Being the 2nd largest export of agriculture products, The Netherlands has a very long relationship with Australia in relation to agriculture. Already in the 1970 the Netherlands participated in agriculture events in Orange NSW. Further down below is an article from the Washington Post providing an overall state of the

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Jeff Crosbie – Australian Gunner at the 18 NEI RAAF Squadron

On 22 January 1944 RAAF Flight Sergeant Jeff Crosbie reported for duty at the aircrew headquarters tent of 18 NEI-RAAF Squadron at Batchelor, Northern Territory. When the Dutch had to flee Netherlands East Indies, after the Japanese invaded the country, Dutch planes, ships and military personnel regrouped in Australia.  While

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Professor Klaas Woldring – reflecting on Australian politics

Biography This is a personal story from Associate Professor Klaas Woldring the author of six short books on democracy and political changes that are needed in Australia to move forward. Klaas was born on 2nd July 1934 in Groningen. He went to Highschool there, completed two years compulsory military service, worked

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Indonesian War Graves at Cowra (Netherlands East indies)

When the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies, some 20,000 Dutch and Indonesians (Netherlands East Indies – NEI) fled to Australia. As Australia had a strict White Australian Policies, native people from NEI where housed separately. Of them 1,200 Indonesian internees were held at the Cowra POW Camp during WWII.

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The history of the Dutch Australian Weekly

The Sydney-based Dutch Australian Weekly (DAW) w was founded in 1951 by Alfred Schuurman with the assistance of Cumberland Newspapers. The paper was established to serve the Dutch community in Australia, providing news, features, and information about events and issues of interest to Dutch Australians. In the 1960s and 1970s,

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Dutch War Cemetery Perth incl. names of people killed

This is the only official Dutch War Cemetery in Australia. It is only one of three non Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Australia, the other two being the Tatura (German) War Cemetery in Victoria (250 graves) and the Cowra (Japanese) War Cemetery in New South Wales (523). At Cowra the Dutch

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Applying for a passport and Double Nationality

Applying for a passport The consular team from the consulate-general in Sydney has started again organizing consular sessions at other locations in Australia. Upcoming months visits are scheduled for Adelaide and Brisbane to take in applications for passports, identity cards and DigiD’s. Check on the link below when you can visit

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Huygens Institute – The Netherlands

The Huygens Institute aims to make Dutch history and culture more inclusive. It also provides access to primary source material and text editions on which to base further analytical and interpretive research. In addition, the Huygens Institute takes the lead in developing innovative methods, tools and sustainable digital infrastructure. The

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The Brisbane Borrelclub and Borrel Boomers

The Borrelclub (a club of Dutch gin drinkers) had its foundation in 1964, when the Officer-in-Charge of the local Dutch Emigration Service, Mr Cees Mossel, invited a few prominent expatriate Dutch businessmen for an after work ‘borrel’ at his office. Business problems and experiences of Dutch immigrants became the topic

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Jan Zevenboom from gold-digger to Vice Consul (1856)

Jan Zevenboom born in 1822. He arrived in Melbourne from Amsterdam in 1856 his profession was listed as brush-maker. He travelled straight on the gold fields, but apparently was not lucky enough to become rich. He settled in Melbourne taking up his trade as a brush-maker in Beckett Street.

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Can you assist the DACC with our Digital Hub?

We are looking for people to join this team so we can make the right selections for our Hub and can assist with the various elements of the digitisation process.  While the physical archives are in Sydney, we also are looking at cloud-based projects which can be done from home.

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Glen op den Brouw awarded the Order of Liverpool (Sydney)

The following is an interview with Glen published in October 2018 in the Daily Telegraph. A link to the Article is provided underneath, Liverpool Historical Society president Glen op den Brouw reflects on what he loves about Liverpool. 1. When did you move to this suburb and why? After migrating

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Student exchange collaboration Universities of Utrecht and Sydney

In early November 2022 a delegation of Utrecht University, including the Rector Magnificus Prof Dr Henk Kummeling and Margot van Sluis-Barten, director External Relations, visited the University of Sydney to discuss cooperation and a student exchange programme. It was agreed that there will be a large number of student exchanges

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Emigrant story – Joop Mul

I was born in Gouda, the Netherlands during World War II. I migrated to Australia at the age of 12, on the migrant ship Johan van Oldenbarnevelt in 1956. My parents thought they would find a house and work easily in Perth but, after a brief talk with the family

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Jacqueline van der Bie a Hoekse Waardse in Australia

In 2001 they visited her brother-in-law in New Zealand and both she and her husband felt there should be more to life than running the rat race they were in. So, the seed of migration had been planted.
Australia seemed the obvious choice. So, the visa process got started, but that took a long time. So, they decided to go on a tourist visa for 6 months and see what would happen. Well, that was a golden move, because while they were travelling around Australia their visa was approved!

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Dutch Camp Casino WWII – Archive Jan de Wit

This post contains a unique collection of archives kept by Jan (John) de Wit. Jan joined the Dutch Airforce and became a guard at the Dutch Camp in Casino NSW. There were uprisings in the camp and people were killed. This became an embarrassment for Australia. The Australian Unions played a key role here as well.

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Black Armada: Australian Boycott of Dutch shipping WWII

After the Japanese invasion of Netherlands East Indies, some 20,000 Dutch people fled to Australia, the majority were Indos. They were not well treated and the Australian Unions started to fight for their rights. As they became involved they understood these people wanted independence from the Netherlands. When, after the War, the Dutch wanted to recolonise NEI the Unions blocked all Dutch transport from Australia.

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Philips in Australia

Looking for more information. In 1925 Anton den Hartog was send to Australia to establish a Philips office in Australia. The company opened its doors in December 1926, with seven staff members, in a small room in Margaret Street, Sydney. The following year the moved to Clarence Street. Later they

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Heineken Tennis Tournament – Sydney 11 December

Back on! After missing out on two Heineken Tennis Tournaments in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid and the renovations of Primrose Park Tennis, Dutchlink is very pleased to invite you to the Dutchlink Heineken Tennis Tournament 2022 version which will take place on Sunday 11 December 2022.We’re back on

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Hans de Vries Flight Lieutenant No. 18 Squadron NEI / RAAF

When the war reached Java, he fled on the merchant ship the KPM SS Boissevain to Freemantle. He was despatched to the RAAF training camp near Lake Macquarie and from here he was send to the Jackson, Mississippi to be trained on the B25 bombers. He was assigned to the No. 18 Squadron NEI / RAAF operating from the Batchelor Airfield, Northern Territory. He flew bombing missions against Japanese military strongholds and shipping. He was highly decorated.

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Dirk Hartog and the famous Hartog Plate

Dirk Hartog Dirk Hartog (baptised 30 October 1580 – buried 11 October 1621) was a 17th-century Dutch sailor and explorer. Dirk Hartog’s expedition was the second European group to land in Australia and the first to leave behind an artefact to record his visit, the Hartog Plate. His name is

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Dutch internees from Japanese camps and POWs received medical recuperation in Australia

There were some of 42 000 Dutch military and naval personnel and 100 000 Dutch civilians who were captured when the Japanese conquered the Netherlands East Indies in early 1942. After the War around 6,000 internees and Dutch POWs who needed immediate medical assistance were brought to Australia where they were allowed to recuperate for between 3 to 6 months, after which they were either repatriated to the Netherlands or went back to Netherlands East Indies.

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Abraham Crijnssen – Dutch minesweeper in the service of the Australian Navy (WWII)

The ship was built during the 1930s, she was based in the Netherlands East Indies when Japan attacked at the end of 1941. After the Japanese invasion the ship left for Australia. For its escape the ship was painted in camouflage colours and the ship was disguised as a tropical island with the help of nets, branches, and other greenery. It arrived in Geraldton. Here the ship served as a patrol vessel until 16 August 1942. After that the ship was in service with the Australian Navy.

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Dutch immigrant ship Willem Ruys

Royal Rotterdamsche Lloyd (then Nedlloyd and now part of Maersk) started building the ship in 1938. The company  was in the process to replace the aging fleet of ships on the Dutch East Indies route, her keel was laid in 1939 at De Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen, Netherlands. Interrupted by

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Dutch immigrant ships to Australia

More individual information is available on the DACC database (see links below). The major ships bringing Dutch migrants to Australia include: Remembering the Dutch Ships contribution for the defence of Australia. Dutch passenger liners such as the MV Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Oranje, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Volendam to name just a

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Dutch immigrant ship Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

When she was built in 1929, she was the largest ship yet built in the Netherlands. She had berths for 770 passengers: 366 in first class, 280 in second, 64 in third and 60 in fourth class. She had berths for 360 crew. She had four decks and could carry

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Sailing on the Duyfken – new Channel 7 story on the Duyfken

The first documented and undisputed European sighting of and landing in Australia was in late February 1606, by the Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon aboard the Duyfken. Janszoon charted the Australian coast and met with Aboriginal people. Janszoon followed the coast of New Guinea, missed Torres Strait, and explored and then

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Dutch involved in marine archaeology in Broome

The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) is currently involved in one project in Australia. In this project, the RCE and the Western Australian Museum in Perth together investigate Dutch amphibious aircraft wrecked in the Australian port city Broome during the Second World War. In the past, the RCE

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Dutch Steamer Curaçao visits Australia in 1871

Reports concerning New South Wales, Queensland, the northern territory of South Australia (which then incorporated the Northern Territory), New Guinea and the Torres Strait by J.W. Ploos van Amstel, Consul-General of the Netherlands for Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. Ploos van Amstel’s accounts are signed Cardwell [North Queensland]; Sweers Island

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Dutch Treat by Theodora Biesheuvel

Theodora (Thea) Biesheuvel – was born in Schiedam, Netherlands in 1939 and emigrated to Australia in 1953. She grew up in country Australia. She has written poetry since she was 8 but started short story writing as an adjunct to telling stories.

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Consul General Bosschart promotes trade with Queensland – 1908

Source (Trove): The Week Brisbane 16 October 1908 Java and Australia. Fostering Relations. Netherlands Consul-General. As stated in our first edition, Mr. W. L. Bosschart, Netherlands Consul-General for Australia and Polynesia, whose legation is situated at Melbourne, is returning from a visit to the Dutch East Indies by the steamer

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Willem Frans Theodoor Brijl – merchant captain WWII

Willem Frans Theodoor Brijl was born May 17th, 1897 in Surabaya in the Dutch East-Indies, the son of Frans Hendrik Brijl. In 1910 he left for the Netherlands in order to have his HBS education. September 21st, 1914 he enrolled in the Merchant Navy Academy on the island of Texel.

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Some members of the18 Squadron NEI RAAF

See the profiles and stories of Joop van Doorn and Hans de Vries and Max Horstink. Click here for more information on the 18 Squadron Nederlands East Indies Royal Australia Air Force The following information with thanks to TracesOfWar. Sidney Rudi de Kadt evaded from occupied country the Netherlands to

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Sparrow Force – Allied guerrilla force in Timor WWII

Sparrow Force was a detachment based on the 2/40th Australian Infantry Battalion and other Dutch, British, US and Australian 8th Division units during World War II. The force was formed to defend the island of Timor from invasion by the Empire of Japan. It formed the main part of the

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Major Jan Willem Zijlstra – Sparrow Force Timor WWII

Military record Born in Malang, Java, on 27 December 1910. Died at “Ladang” House, near Berry, New South Wales, Australia, on October 6, 1965. Army number 102417002 Second lieutenant KNIL Army (31-07-1932),  First Lieutenant (31-07-1935),  Captain. (27-05-1943), Major (17-12-1949).   Well-known decorations: ·         Ereteken Belangrijke/Bijzondere Krijgsbedrijven/-verrichtingen BK,E.1,OHK.3,OV.1,XV,KLO·         Bronze Cross K.B.

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The Battle of Timor – 1942-1943

The Battle of Timor – the Dutch and Australians kept fighting after the surrender of Netherlands East Indies. The bombing of Darwin did bring WWII directly onto the shores of Australia. However, what is less well known is that the reason for the Japanese attack on Darwin and Broome was

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Netherlands – Australia Memorial – Canberra

The monument commemorates the servicemen and women of the Dutch forces which operated from Australia between 1941 and 1945. The Dutch, along with the Americans, were the only non-Commonwealth countries to establish bases in Australia during World War Two. The original memorial was unveiled on the 7th December 1991 and

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Mutiny on the Tasmanian ferry Abel Tasman -1985

The following is an abstract – with permission – from the Mitchell Bruce’s website Ferries of Australia Abel Tasman (IMO 7362108) sailed on the Bass Strait between 1985 to 1993. She started life as the Nils Holgersson, built in 1975. She commenced her regular route, linking Travemünde (Germany) to Trelleborg

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Various ships named Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman – Bermuda Schooner This Bermuda Schooner, derived from the famous “America 1”, designed by George Steer. From this renowned fast yacht from the mid-19th century a few replicas have been built. Though “Abel Tasman” is not a pure replica, she has the same lines. She has been proven

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Dutch and Australian Relics from Camp Columbia Brisbane

Camp Columbia in the suburb of Wacol in Brisbane was a United States Army military camp. It was built in 1942 to accommodate American troops. The Sixth US Army Headquarters was formed and stationed here. It also hosted two hospitals and an Officer Candidate School till 1945.  This was the

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Netherlands Antilles ship capsized in Port Kembla (1986)

Shortly before noon on Thursday 14 August 1986 the Netherlands Antilles flag heavy lift cargo ship ‘GABRIELLA’ capsized and sank alongside No. 2 Products Berth in Port Kembla harbour New South Wales. The ship capsized and sank on its side very rapidly while discharging a lift of 237.95 tonnes. Two

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Rembrandt Dutch Club – Sydney

Founded in 1978 We are open every Wednesday from 10am till 1pm and every Friday from 3.30pm till 8.30pm. Our Club is run purely by volunteers, from the barman to the cleaner, the chef and the gardener. The Club has several interest groups: Klaverjassers and  Scrabblers. It’s a friendly place

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Merchant ship SS Van Heemskerk tragically lost in 1943

(Source: Wikipedia) SS Van Heemskerk was a freighter built by N.V. Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw-Maatschappij. The ship of 2,996 Gross register tonnage (GRT) was launched 31 August 1909 and delivered for operation by Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM) in the Dutch East Indies trade. Van Heemskerk was one of twenty-one KPM vessels that took

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Netherlands Association of Queensland

It all started in 1952. Four Dutch men, recently arrived in Australia, started a `Klaverjas’ (Dutch card game-only known in the Netherlands) club. A constitution was sent to Fair Trading Queensland. Approval was received on the 6 July 1952 and the Netherlands Association of Queensland got incorporated and known as

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When the Dutch in Bundaberg faced Communist threat

By  Michael Gorey  22 April 2019 In Anzac week we reflect on the contribution our allies made to restoring peace in our region. No. 19 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF was a transport and communications unit of the Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger. The Netherlands East Indies Government

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The Drama of Broome 3-3-1942

On 3 March 1942 Japanese Zero bombers arrived and within 15 minutes bombed 23 Alied aircrafts that were either laying in the Roebuck bay or which were parked on the aerodrome. Approx half of them were NEI airplanes,  between 35 and 40 Dutch people were killed in the raid and some 60+ were badly injured.

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Patricia Metcalfe and Wim van Wely met at Camp Columbia.

Patricia (Pat) Metcalfe (born 1929 in Cairns) moved to Brisbane when she was 4 years old and after she finished the St Columba school at Wilson, was employed at Camp Columbia as a typist and secretary, first with the Americans and since 1945 with the Netherlands-East-Indies Government. Here she worked

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New Netherlands Consul General and Deputy Consul General

The team at the Netherlands Consulate General in Sydney welcomed the new Consul General, Hugo Klijn, and new Deputy Consul-General, Meike de Jong. Consul-General Hugo Klijn is also Head of Economic affairs, Trade and Investment in Australia. Mr Klijn has been working for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs since

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Dutch-Australian ballerinas performing for WWII Allied troops

Born as Maria Louisa Frederika, “Darja” Collin (November 19, 1902 – May 6, 1967) was a Dutch ballet dancer and classical ballet teacher. She had been trained in classical ballet (studying under Preobrajenska and Trefilova), and also in Mary Wigman’s school. She was also influenced by the famous American/Russian dancer

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Old ties, new beginnings Dutch women in Australia

“Old ties, new beginnings” presents the stories of twenty Dutch-Australian women who migrated along with thousands of Dutch and other post-war migrants to Australia during the 1950’s and 60’s. Very little is known about those Dutch women who settled in Australia. Their “homesickness”is sometimes mentioned and blamed for “unsuccessful” or

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Dutch participation in Battle of Milne Bay 1942

Most of the vital reinforcement of New Guinea in 1942 and 1943 –  during the War in the South West Pacific – including troops, vehicles, weapons and supplies for the Milne Bay, Buna and Gona operations, was undertaken by Dutch vessels. The operation collectively known as Operation Lilliput, used the

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A very personal WWII story from Ruth Leah

Our mother met a Dutch pilot during the war.  His name was Fredrik (Pulk) Pelder and there are many mentions of his heroics on the World Wide web.  One instance in particular that was widely publicised, was an escape from Java where Fred and Mendizabal (Canadian), Sgt Stuart Munroe (Australian), Alan

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Anton Kool leading person in the Dutch Community

Antonie (Anton) Frederick Kool was born Feb 6 1920, Zevenhoven, The Netherlands and he died Dec 14 2002, Sydney, Australia Written by Helen Kool (one of Anton’s daughters) This is a short biography and includes anecdotes that I find interesting. If you would like to add some of your own

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Migration Museum Rotterdam – opens in 2024

The museum is based in the Fenix warehouse at the waterfront on Katendrecht. It was built in 1923. At that time it was the largest warehouse in the world. The new FENIX is more than a museum it is a cultural location in Rotterdam. From its quays millions of Europeans

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120 Netherlands East Indies Fighter Squadron RAAF – WWII

Not enough personnel to start a new Squadron The pre-capitulation situation in the Netherlands Indies was chaotic and the stubborn Dutch Government-in-Exile in London had no vision nor a plan fort an inevitable post surrender period. This was the main course why so few military people and material was saved

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The Night Ship – Novel about the Batavia

A new book has been published about the doomed fate of the VOC ship the Batavia in 1629. In this case the historical story forms the background to fiction through the eyes of 9 year old Dutch girl Mayken. Read the review of ”The Night Ship” by Jess Kidd as

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Dutch-Australian Movie  –“ Everybody’s Oma”

Everybody’s Oma follows in the NSW Central Coast family’s footsteps as they navigate Oma’s failing health under the spotlight of an enthusiastic audience of well-meaning strangers. Jason van Genderen premiered My Town is Broken at Sydney Film Festival (SFF)  2008. His debut feature Everybody’s Oma premieres at SFF 14 years

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The Merauke Force in Netherlands New Guinea – WWII

Merauke remained unoccupied during WWII In mid-1942, Merauke, on the south coast of Netherlands New Guinea (NNG) was one of only a few parts of the Netherlands East Indies ( NEI) that had not been occupied by Japanese forces. It was garrisoned by a company of infantry from the KNIL,

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Abel Tasman Museum Lutjegast, Netherlands

The DACC has special relationship with the Abel Tasman Museum in Lutjegast, a town in Groningen, where Abel Tasman was born. There have been visits from Australian to Lutjegast and the other way around. There is more information on their website. The images below are displays from the Abel Tasman

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ML-KNIL Dakota crashed in Moreton Bay – 1947

On 26 February, a ML-KNIL Douglas Dakota caught fire and crashed into the ocean about 23 minutes into a test flight from Archerfield, killing all six people – three Dutch servicemen and three Australian crew members – onboard. ML-KNIL = Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger – Royal Netherlands

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Dutch Migrants at Bonegilla Migrant Camp – Victoria

Around 170,000 displaced persons came to Australia immediately after World War II. Nearly half lived at Bonegilla when they arrived in Australia. Some stayed for weeks, others for months. Migrants at the centre were taught English and learnt about life in Australia. They were then employed in areas where there were labour shortages, boosting

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Dutch WWII pilot Gus Winckel celebrated in Moruya

The following information comes from the book Allies in a Bind from Dr Jack Ford. Japanese attack on Sydney Harbour On 28 May 1942, Japanese submarine I-21 launched a floatplane. It flew over Sydney Harbour spotting 13 Allied warships including Dutch submarine K-IX. On 31 May, Japanese submarines I-22, I-24

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History of the Dutch in South Australia

Dutch settlers in South Australia. Although the Dutch seem to be the first to have discovered Australia, including parts of Tasmania and South Australia, they have never made a great impact as a group of settlers. As there was never any real religious persecution or high unemployment in Holland, there

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Netherlands Chamber of Commerce Australia

The NCCA is the go-to organisation that connects the Australian and Dutch business communities. Its mission is to be an inclusive networking body that connects and provides measurable value for its members. Through our monthly events our members have the opportunity to meet like-minded people, expand their knowledge, and create business

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The Dutch Australian Society “Abel Tasman” Inc.

The Dutch Australian Society “Abel Tasman” Inc existed from 1969 till approx 2010.  This history is written by Kees Wierenga during the 00s There was a Dutch Australian Society in the 1950s, but it faded away after approx. five years due to lack of interest.  Beginning in 1952, it produced

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Dutch Australian Society in Illawarra

The Dutch Australia Society in the Illawarra (DASI) was founded in 1952 and is affiliated with the Federation of Netherlands Societies. The club publishes a monthly newsletter “De Stuw”. The aim of DASI is to provide and maintain traditional Dutch cultural functions and provide activities for the elderly Dutch and Australian members.

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VOC Historical Society, Perth (VOCHS)

The Society was formed in 2000 by a group of history enthusiasts that were: Concerned at the lack of general knowledge about maritime events that took place in the 17th and 18th centuries off and on Western Australia’s (WA) coastline hundreds of years before the settlement of WA in 1829

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Erasmus Foundation – Melbourne

The Erasmus Foundation is a Dutch Australian cultural society which was established in 1965 in Melbourne, Australia. The aims of the Society are to be a link with the Dutch culture for people with a Dutch background or connection who live in Victoria and to acquaint others with that culture.

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Dutch Club Abel Tasman – Melbourne

The Club was initially known as the ‘Netherlands Society Abel Tasman’ and first opened its doors on the 1st November 1958 in Barkly Street, St Kilda. The Club changed its name on the 30th October 1978 to its present name of Dutch Club ‘Abel Tasman’. The Club organises several activities

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Merchant Man Derk Johannes Kippers

Derk Johannes Kippers was born in The Hague, Netherlands, 9th November, 1909.Graduated with First Class Wireless Operators Licence, about 1928. Partly because of the Great Depression, he did not enter the Dutch Merchant Navy until a few years later. The Merchant Navy ships he served on sailed the Atlantic, Pacific and

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Rembrandt Male Choir St Marys (Sydney)

It was around 1985 and the club needed more regular visitors. The Friday nights were alright but could be better. The idea came up to start a male choir. The name would be the same as the club. Rembrandt Male Choir St Marys. Looking for interested persons went as far

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