In 1932, a daring attempt to circumnavigate the globe by air turned into a harrowing survival story for German pilot Hans Bertram and mechanic Adolph Klausmann. Their journey in the Junkers W 33 seaplane, Atlantis, registration D-1925, took an unexpected turn when they were forced to make an emergency landing Read more…
Austal Limited’s roots in shipbuilding can be traced back to the pioneering efforts of Dutch boat-builder Nicholaas Willem Verboon who emigrated to Australia and his sons Dick and Nick, who established Australian Shipbuilding Industries Limited. Dick Verboon, a ship’s carpenter, recalls that to get into a boat building in Fremantle Read more…
Anton van den Hengel is likely the only person born in the Netherlands who is also a fourth-generation Port Adelaidian. His father’s family hails from Amsterdam, specifically from the Jordaan district. Before settling in Amsterdam, the van den Hengels originated from a small town near Utrecht. Anton’s grandparents owned a Read more…
On the night of the 28 April 1656, the Vergulde Draeck struck a submerged coral reef midway between what are now the coastal towns of Seabird and Ledge Point, Western Australia. On board were 193 crew, eight boxes of silver coins worth 78,600 guilders and trade goods to the value Read more…
The Vergulde Draeck sailed from the Netherlands bound for Batavia. The ship foundered in 1656 at Ledge Point, near the mouth of Moore River, leaving 68 survivors stranded. In 1658, two ships were sent to attempt a rescue. Aboard one of the ships, the Waeckende Boey, was officer-navigator Abraham Leeman van Santwits. This Read more…
Abraham Leeman van Santwitz (Santwits, Santwijk), a 17th-century Dutch sailor, embodies the spirit of resilience and leadership in the face of overwhelming adversity. His experiences as a navigator with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) are a testament to the perils and challenges of maritime exploration during this era, particularly Read more…
A country’s toponyms has many hidden complexities. For example, some name-forms can deceive theunwary in terms of their origins and meanings. Australia’s toponymy is a good case in point.Many of Australia’s toponyms are transparent as to their etymologies, such as, Port Macquarie (NSW),Sandy Bay (TAS), whilst others are more opaque, Read more…
Early Career and Rise to Prominence Jan (later John, Johnny) Van Oosten was born in The Hague. The family emigrated to Australia in 1954, when Jan was 7 years old. They settled in Victoria Park. His father was Dutch, his mother Polish, they had met each other in Germany where Read more…
By Diane Gabb Introduction Much has been written about the large numbers of Dutch migrants who sought a new home in Australia after the devastation of World War II when over 200 000 citizens had lost their lives and the failed Netherlands economy had little to offer but emigration propaganda. Australia Read more…
In tribute to Adam Muyt and his book on Clogball, Jeanette Johansen composed the text for this lied, which the Melbourne-based Zing Choir has included in its program.