John (Jan) was born in the Netherlands in 1946. The family of 13 – headed by father Karel and mother Anna – emigrated to Australia in 1960 initially settling at Brisbane’s Wacol Migrant Camp. Karel Van Lieshout, was a plasterer and John had an early but unsuccessful stint in the Read more…
At the Dutch Chamber of Commerce Queensland, members have been suggesting extending our activities to include cultural, historical, and social events. Today, we are very excited to present to you Dutchlink Brisbane, which is built on the success of our sister organisation Dutchlink Sydney! Register here for free updates and Read more…
A 400-year-old painting unearthed in the Blue Mountains and long thought to be a copy may be worth up to $5 million after art historians confirmed it was a 17th century Dutch masterpiece. https://amp.smh.com.au/national/once-in-a-lifetime-discovery-400-year-old-dutch-masterpiece-discovered-in-the-blue-mountains-20220412-p5ad07.html There is a bit more background in the Dutch article on the discovery. Kunstwerk in Australische Read more…
in 1857, the Dutch government appointed the 21-year old Melbourne-based merchant and shipping agent Hugo von (der) Nahmer, who was of German descent but Geldrop-born, as honorary consul In his enthusiasm, Von Nahmer started using the Dutch name Van der Nahmer to suit the appointment. Nevertheless, he had to resign Read more…
The Dutch Courier was first published in Victoria on behalf of the Associated Netherlands Societies in 1970 by Max Leening. The idea of the publication was to connect all the different Dutch clubs in Victoria through a publication that functioned like an extended newsletter. Since the early days, this Victorian Read more…
West Australian/Dutch historian, anthropologist, museum curator and social researcher Nonja Peters has been inducted into the 2022 WA Women’s Hall of Fame. Dr Nonja Peters is an historian, anthropologist, museum curator and social researcher whose expertise is transnational migration (forced and voluntary) and resettlement in Australia. She is the author Read more…
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 Read more…
Published in the Dutch Courier March 2022 ‘I was always interested in the Australian players who came to Europe when I was playing,’ Graeme Rutjes, former Netherlands International, tells me. We’re chatting via What’s App, Graeme at the golf course he manages near Utrecht, me at home in Hobart.[1] What Read more…
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 Read more…
Four-hundred years ago, in March 1622, the Dutch ship Leeuwin encountered the south-west coast of Western Australia—the first recorded sighting of the area by Europeans. Known to the Wadandi Noongar people as Doogalup, the Dutch named it ‘t’Leeuwin’s Landt’, or ‘Leeuwin’s Land’. In 1801, in recognition of this early Dutch Read more…