Royal Netherlands Navy Wireless Telegraphy Station Batchelor, NT and Craigieburn, Vic.
Dutch message re Pearl Harbour attack was ignored. Identifying Japan as a potential aggressor, in the thirties the Dutch tried to strengthen their intelligence capability. In 1932 the Royal Netherlands Navy set up a radio intercept unit to monitor the activities of the Japanese Navy. Several weeks prior to the
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
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
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
The Colonial Warship the Doerga explored northern Australia (1825-1826)
In the 1820s the Dutch Colonial naval vessel Doerga (Dourga) the Dutch was sent by Netherlands East indies Government to northern Australia to establish Dutch claims to the region and to investigate the trepang trade. The voyages of the Dutch brig of war Dourga, were recorded by its Captain Dirk
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
Proposal to establish a Dutch settlement in South Australia (1717)
Jean Pierre Purry was a Swiss explorer who presented a plan to the Dutch Governor General of the Dutch East Indies in Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia) in 1717 to establish a settlement in Australia. His plan was to settle in the vicinity of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Purry was
Dutch Navy involved in the search for the sunken HMAS Sydney in 1941
On 19 November 1941, HMAS Sydney, an Australian light cruiser, was engaged in a naval battle with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran off the coast of Western Australia. During the battle, both ships were sunk, with the loss of all 645 crew members on board the Sydney and 81 crew
Jan Logeman and the 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
Christian Reformed Churches of Australia
The Reformed Churches of Australia is the name of the church established by post-war Dutch immigrants of the Reformed faith in Australia. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Dutch Reformed Church. The first Reformed Church of Australia was established at Kingston, Tasmania in 1952. Its name was chosen
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
‘Little Groningen’ Dutch settlement at Kingston, Tasmania
In 1950, a group of Dutch immigrants arrived in Tasmania and established a settlement in the town of Kingston, located about 12 km south of Hobart. The group was led by a Dutch Reformed Church minister Reverend Klaas Hoek, who had been invited to Tasmania by the Australian government to
The Dutch and America’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
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
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
Rupert Gerritsen- influential historian in Dutch-Australian past and Vietnam activist
Rupert Gerritsen (1953 – 3 November 2013). He was born in Geraldton, Western Australia, of Dutch parents. He became an Australian historian who has made significant contributions to the fields of archaeology, anthropology, and environmental history. He has published extensively on the prehistory and history of Australia, particularly in relation
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
The Dutch Ladies of the Grail arrived in Australia in 1936
The Grail was started in 1921 as the Women of Nazareth by Fr. Jacques van Ginneken, a Dutch Jesuit. He felt that many new possibilities were opening up for women and that a group of lay women, unconfined by convent walls and rules, could make an immense contribution to the
Willem Siebenhaar social activist and writer (1863-1937)
He was born in The Hague on July 28, 1863 and developed a lifelong interest in chess at the age of fifteen and was exposed to Christian anarchist Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis during his early life. After graduating from Delft University, he moved to England in 1884 to become a teacher.
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
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
Henri Benedictus Salaman Van Raalte curator Art Gallery of South Australia (1881-1929)
Henri Benedictus Salaman Van Raalte (1881-1929) was a talented etcher born in Lambeth, London. . His father, Joel Van Raalte, was a Dutch-born merchant and his mother, Frances Elizabeth (née Cable), was English. He studied at prestigious institutions such as the City of London School, St John’s Wood Art Schools,
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,
Victor Victorszoon first painting of the Swan River in Perth – 1696
Victor Victorszoon was a Dutch artist (born 1653) as a painter and cartographer he accompanied the explorer Willem de Vlamingh on his expedition to Australia in the late 17th century. Victorszoon’s paintings are the sole visual record of the voyage and are among the earliest known images of the continent.
Dutch-Australian painter Henry Leonardus van den Houten (1801-1879)
Henry Leonardus van den Houten (1801-17 February 1879), was a Dutch-Australian painter, lithographer and art teacher. Van den Houten received his artistic education at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, where he studied under the Dutch painter Bartholomeus Johannes van Hove. Van den Houten later became a
Dutch-Australian writer Francisca (Paquita) Delprat (wife of explorer David Mawson)
Francisca Adriana (Paquita) Delprat was a British-born writer and community worker, born on August 19, 1891, in Acton, London. Her father was a Dutch-born mining engineer Guillaume Daniel Delprat, who had moved to Broken Hill, New South Wales, in 1898 to join the Broken Hill Pty Co. Paquita spent the
Jacob Jansen/Johnson – (grand)father of famous Australian Footballers and Cyclists
Jacob Jansen (1848-1928), who later changed his name to Jacob Johnson, was born in Groningen and immigrated to Australia in the 1860s.. He became a Dutch-Australian businessman who owned and operated several cafes in Melbourne during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jacob Johnson’s cafes were popular gathering places
Was there a Dutch colony in Central Australia in the 18th century?
There are a number of stories and myths about a Dutch colony in Central Australia dating back to the 18th century. However, there is no concrete evidence to support the claim that a group of Dutch settlers ever established a colony in the region. The story seems to have originated
The extremely tough life of the Lubbs family in the Pilliga Scrub (NSW)
The Dutch Lubbs family came to Australia via South America. They were one of the pioneering families who settled in the Pilliga Forest, sometimes known as the Pilliga Scrub, constitute over 5,000 km2 of semi-arid woodland in temperate north-central New South Wales. They settled at Upper Cumble (ed. couldn’t find
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
Koninklijke Pakketvaart-Maatschappij- Australian operation launched in 1912
De Koninklijke Pakketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM – Royal Packet Navigation Company – was established in 1888 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The company was created by merging several smaller Dutch shipping companies that were operating in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). KPM’s main purpose was to provide a regular shipping service between
Graham Gosewinckel – director of Australia’s first satellite company.
Graham Gosewinckel was born 24 February 1930. Brief overview of his career The highlight of his career was that he was appointed by the Government as the inaugural CEO of Aussat Pty Ltd, the Australian satellite telecommunications company, from 1985 to 1988. During his tenure, Aussat launched two satellites, Aussat
Three unique Dutch movies during WII 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
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
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
An 1855 proposal for a Dutch Settlement in Moreton Bay (Brisbane)
The Referend John Dunmore Lang was a Scottish-born Australian politician and Presbyterian minister who advocated for the establishment of a Dutch settlement in Moreton Bay in the mid-19th century. Lang believed that a Dutch settlement in Moreton Bay would be beneficial for both the Dutch and the Australian colonies. He
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
Jan Vennik – and other Dutchmen at the Eureka Stockade (1854)
Jan Vennik: the Dutchman at Eureka. This Dutchman was present in the vicinity of the Eureka Stockade on 3 December 1854, before he was arrested and charged with Treason together with 12 others.
Dutch Benevolent Trust Funds – support for sailors and later also struggling Dutch migrants
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
Colonial Dutch Consul-General to Victoria – J. W. Ploos Van Amstel – 1864
The brothers Ploos van Amstel Jan Willem Ploos van Amstel was born in the Netherlands in 1827. The Ploos van Amstel family was a prominent Dutch merchant family in the 19th century. The family roots can be traced back to the 15th century and the family produced important theologians, painters
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
A small Dutch role in the story of the Mutiny of the Bounty
The Mutiny of the Bounty is one of the most famous mutiny stories ever. Captain’s William Bligh mission was to collect Breadfruit plans in Tahiti and deliver them to the Americas as it was seen as a cheap food for the slaves on the British plantations. The trip faced many
Dutch supplies for starving First Fleeters in Sydney – 1790
This story starts with the famous First Fleet of eleven vessels sailing into Sydney Cove in 1788. The plan was to establish a colony that would become self-sufficient. They brought with them supplies for 2 years for the 1000 people. After they had unloaded their supplies over a period of
Photo collection Evert Herman van Hummel – Flight Engineer Royal Dutch Airforce – KLM
These pictures are all from the Evert Herman van Hummel collection. He was a flight engineer from 1938 till approx. 1970. Unfortunately most photographs don’t have any accompanying information. This first section is most likely from his early period in the 1930 and early 1940s. During WWII he was stationed
Trying to unravel the death of Dutch WWII ABDA-international Keesje Trijssenaar on Ambon.
Cornelis Antoine Trijssenaar was born on 2 January 1909 in Arnhem. ‘Keesje’ grew up in an international family originally coming from Strassbourg to The Hague. He had family in Monaco, Austria and Switzerland where summer holidays were spent. Returning family occupations are either government administration or having artistic aspirations. Kees’
Overfishing and Dutch regulations saw an increase of Makassar fisherman in Australia.
Makassar centre of the trepang fishing Trepang fishing, also known as sea cucumber fishing, is a type of fishing that involves the collection of sea cucumbers, which are a type of marine invertebrate. Sea cucumbers are typically found on the ocean floor and are harvested for a variety of purposes,
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
Napoleonic Wars – British captured Dutch ship Swift and sold it in Sydney.
In 1795 the Netherlands was conquered by the French revolutionary armies and annexed by Napoleon. The Netherlands, now being a client state of France brought them in conflict with France’ s arch enemy Britain. As a result, the British launched a series of campaigns against Dutch colonies around the world,
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
Reis naar Nieuw-Zuid-Wallis. Uit het dagboek van een scheepsdokter – 1840.
A Voyage to New South Wales from the journal of a Ship’s Doctor An early Dutch writer on Sydney in the 1840s was P van Os. His book “Reis naar Nieuw-Zuid-Wallis. Uit het dagboek van een scheepsdokter” was edited for children. It is a curious semi-fictional work and although it
Looking for information on Jan de With
Jan Willem de With migrated to Australia from Indonesia in 1950 he was a Dutch conscription at 20.WE are looking for more information on him.
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
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
From Dutch cookies to lecturing and writing books – the immigration story of the family Ruijs
By Susanne Ruijs I arrived with my family in Australia in July 1980. Our family consisted of my husband Hein and me and our four children Eva (12), Saskia (11), Thomas (9) and Christine (6). Hein had been offered a position as lecturer in Hospitality at the then Agricultural College
Dutch Commandos – WWII Intelligence Service – Born in Australia
Introduction The Netherlands Forces Intelligence Service (NEFIS) was a Dutch military intelligence service during and after World War II. The purpose of the NEFIS was initially to collect intelligence for the Allied forces with regard to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) that was occupied by Japan. It operated from Melbourne
Evert Herman van Hummel survived a Catalina Crash in 1945
Evert van Hummel was born in Baarn in the Netherlands on 29 January 1916. Evert Herman Van Hummel (some called him Evert others called him Herman) left high school at the age of 15, because he was fascinated by engines. He first worked as an apprentice car mechanic at a
The family xxx arrived in Sydney on the MS Sibayak
By Janneke Hall Our family of 5 arrived in Sydney in December 1950 on the Sibayak. We came from a little village in North Holland Brabant called Werkendam. I was 5 years old. We went to Bathurst migrant camp but we’re only there for a few weeks. Orbost then Oakleigh
The Duyfken – new pics and videos
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
The Willemse Family – major mushroom suppliers
By Maria Horrocks Petrus (Piet) Wilhelmus Johannes Willemse was born on 13 July 1933 at Liessel, Deurne, North Braband, Netherlands to Johannes Jozef Willemse (b 27.01.02 d 27 Oct 1944) and Francina Petronella Wilhelmina Spreeuwenberg (b 30 Nov 1906 D April 1968). Piet was second child, oldest son. There were
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
Jan Hendrik Scheltema Dutch-Australian Painter (1861-1941)
Compiled by Paul Budde, in consultation with Peter Reynders. 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,
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
The rich history of Dutch football clubs in Australia
Clogball: Remembering the Dutch football clubs of Australia By Adam Muyt · On November 12, 2015 Adam is releasing a book on the topic of the Dutch migrants and soccer in Australia in 2023. We will cover this once the book has been released. If you think the Dutch have never won a
Kun je nog zingen zing dan mee – WWII book published in Melbourne
The first edition of the song book ” Kun je nog zingen zing dan mee” (If you can still sing, sing along) was published in 1906 and the book has had numerous editions since. It is one of the most published books in Dutch publishing., with over a million copies
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
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
Dutch Women Army Corps at Yeronga Park Brisbane (WWII)
he US Army had chosen Yeronga Park for a military camp in 1942. Camp Yeronga Park housed a variety of units among them the military police and the 99th Signal Battalion, US Service Army of Supplies ( USASOS) and the US Women’s Army Corps (WAC). The Australian Army placed an
Dutch Club of Sydney – Flying Dutchman Restaurant (1957-1962)
DACC researchers came across ‘The Dutch Club’ in Sydney. There are no records of this club, further research revealed that the Dutch Club of Sydney and the restaurant The Flying Dutchman in the City (Elizabeth Street) are always mentioned together. The restaurant was run by famous Dutchman Dick Groenteman. It
Adrian van Leest – potato king
This article was written by Susan Parsons for her Kitchen Garden column in The Canberra Times in November 2013. Permission was provided by Susan and the publication to replicate the text for the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre. Adrian van Leest was born in the Netherlands, where his father had a
The Batavia and its many stories
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 on the Houtman Abrolhos, a chain of small islands off the coast of Western Australia. Five
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
The history of Shell in Australia – since 1901
Shell Australia is the Australian subsidiary of 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 became a
Dutch Art Import Committee (Dutch Consulate) – early 1900s
There is an episode in the letters from Dutch-Australian painter Jan Hendrik Scheltema (JHS) – who we discuss extensively elsewhere – where he wrote having been asked by the Dutch Consul to become a committee member < with some title >, looking after ART to help import Dutch Art, including
Professor Tom Calma named Senior Australian of the Year 2023 – and his Dutch heritage
Professor Tom Calma was named Senior Australian of the Year 2023. Professor Calma became the Chancellor of the University of Canberra in January 2014. He is an elder of the Kungarakan people and member of the Iwaidja people. He is also proud to share that his heritage is 75% Indigenous
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
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
David Groenteman Auschwitz survivor, ice hockey champion, restaurateur and Dutch community leader
Auschwitz survivor David Groenteman , born in 1923 in Amsterdam ended up as an eighteen-year-old Jewish boy In Auschwitz, where he had to carry away corpses, bury them and scoop coal for twelve hours in the bitter cold. After the war he fled from those painful memories. After the Germans
Australia on the Map 1606-2006
The initiative for what became the project was taken by Peter Reynders. He had published a a proposal to commemorate the Dutch ship Duyfken making contact with the Aussie coast in a newsletter of the VOC Historical Society suggesting to start preparations for the commemoration of the arrival of the
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
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
Refugees from Netherlands East Indies recuperating in Australia after WWII
After the surrender of Japan there were some 100,000 European people in the Japanese camps, many of them were close to starvation. An agreement between Australia and Netherlands East Indies governments led to the formation of the Netherlands Indies Welfare Organisation for Evacuees (NIWOE). The organisation emerged out of the
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
Dutch at WWII Camp Columbia Brisbane 1944 – 1947
In 1944 the Dutch took over Camp Columbia in the suburb of Wacol in Brisbane. It was built by the Americans in 1942 as a staging camp for the liberation of the South West Pacific. The Sixth US Army Headquarters was formed and stationed here. It also hosted two hospitals
Akky van Ogtrop – Art Curator
By Akky van Ogtrop My time in the Netherlands I was born and educated in the Netherlands in Bussum, the youngest in a family where the arts and especially music were very important. My father was a musicologist, principal viola player and conductor and my mother a concert pianist. I
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
‘The Oasis’ famous (WWII) Brisbane resort frequented by the Dutch military.
‘The Oasis’ in the Brisbane suburb of Sunnybank was created by Mrs Mabel Pottinger and her two sons, Norman and Lewis. They had a flower, fruit, vegetable and poultry farm and turned that into a tourist attraction what became The Oasis. This started in 1937 when the family built a tennis court
Joan McConachy – secretary at the Dutch Army at Camp Columbia
By her son David Hill. Joan McConachy was a secretary at Camp Columbia, Brisbane working for the Dutch Army as she later told her son David (perhaps at NEFIS). Joan was born in 1924 at Winton (Central West QLD) and moved to Brisbane around 1943 from the then family home
Dr. Cas Jeekel Dutch zoologist and entomologist – expert in Australian millipedes
Casimir Albrecht Willem (Cas) Jeekel (Medan, 24 February 1922 – Breda, 13 March 2010. He was a former director of the Zoological Museum in Amsterdam. (now based in Leiden). Dr Jeekel was once the world authority on millipedes and, as a Dutchman, had a great influence on the study of
A fascinating link between the Boven Digul Camp, the 18th NEI Squadron and the Cowra WWII Cemetery
The Burgers Family from Cowra bring together several important historical events. It starts with Jan Hevel who is an Adjutant at the Political Prisoners Camp Boven Digul -Dutch New Guinea. The leaders of the Indonesian independence uprising of 1925/1926 were imprisoned in the remote jungle of Netherlands New Guinea. In
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
Dutch Dugong fisherman killed by Aboriginal people in 1859
I came across a reference of a Dutchman killed by Aboriginal people in February 1859 in Moreton Bay, Brisbane. At this time, this was still part of NSW as the separation of Queensland only happened later that year.
Migration story of Dr Jurriaan Beek – GP at Casino NSW
This story outlines the history of how the Beek family (Father, Mother and two sons) came to migrate to Australia.
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
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