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Conference Papers and Keynote addresses by researchers

The following overview has been compiled by Dr. Nonja Peters Papers on Dutch culture and heritage by Nonja Peters 2016: Opening and closing/summing up speeches at the NIAS LORENZ International Workshop on Digital Humanities – Conceptualising a model for the Digital Preservation of Immigrants Cultural heritage, 22 and 26 August

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Migrant (R)e-collections- Proposal for a workshop (historic)

All over the world migrants have left multiple traces, deep traces that are indispensable forthe fostering of heritage communities and for research in the humanities and social sciences.Yet the growing societal demand for cultural services and the increasingly insufficientresources available to manage migrants’ cultural heritage is creating a gap —

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Abel Tasman Landing Site – Tasmania 1642

The Tasman expedition left Batavia (Netherlands East Indies, now Jakarta, Indonesia) on 14th August 1642 with two vessels, the Heemskerk with a 60-man crew and the Zeehaan with 50 men on board. They first called at Mauritius, where they stayed for a month-long repair to both ships. Intending to sail

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First Dutch contacts in Australia – Tasmania 1642 to 1772

Blackman Bay and East Coast of Tasmania 1642 Tasman’s Voyage of 1642 Journal – Abel Tasman Tasman, A J 1898Abel Janszoon Tasman’s Journal, J E Heeres (comp. and trans.),Amsterdam: Frederick Muller. p.15 [Report of Pilot-Major and Second Mate, 2 December 1642]They [shore party] had heard certain human sounds, and also sounds nearly

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Heineken beer has been on tap in Australia since 1884

Pierre van der Eng It may appear that Dutch multinational beer brewer Heineken has long tried to carry the proverbial coal to Newcastle, because its beer has been on sale in Australia since 1884. In October that year, an advertisement of trading company Boult Bros in Adelaide announced the sale

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Dirk Drok and the discovery of the Batavia

Dirk Drok (Dalfsen, Netherlands 1915–1988), Perth) and his wife Kitty Isabella Theodora Uitenhage de Mist-Barkey (Java 1921–2001 Perth) lived in Java, Netherlands East Indies NEI (now Indonesia). After the Japanese had occupied the NEI, Dirk and kitty both – separately – ended up in Japanese Camps. There is an extensive

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Milk and Honey – but no Gold

By Dr. Nonja Peters Milk and Honey – but no Gold is the story of those who left behind their country of birth, and everyone and everything they knew, to become part of Australia’s mass migration scheme in the years following World War II. Some were homeless and displaced refugees from

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Links to declassified WWII Australian Documents re the Netherlands East Indies

Researched by Ruby Todorovski, researcher at the University of Queensland. Source: National Archives of Australia. Netherlands East Indies Commission for Australia and New Zealand Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile in Australia (1944-1946) Netherlands Forces in Australia WWII Evacuees from Netherlands East Indies recuperating in Australia after WWII Migration and Repatriation issues

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Netherlands Forces in Australia WWII

Declassified documents from the National Archives of Australia, researched by Ruby Todorovski, University of Queensland Links to other declassified WWII Australian Documents re the Netherlands East Indies Military Command After the surrender of the Dutch military in the Netherlands East Indies to the Japanese in March 1942, the Dutch military

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Migration and Repatriation issues after the liberation of NEI

This file, researched by Ruby Todorovski researcher at the University of Queensland includes documents regarding people who wanted to migrate to Australia after the war and issues regarding the repatriation of service people. See also: Evacuees from Netherlands East Indies recuperating in Australia after WWII Links to declassified WWII Australian

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Various WWII Diplomatic Australian documents

All files below were researched by Ruby Todorovski, researcher University of Queensland Netherlands East Indies, Transfer of Government Officials to Australia – 1942 7th March 1942, Dr van Mook, van Oyen and van Plas arrived in Perth Major-General Van Oyen in charge of postwar reconstructions in NEI 26/10/43 Red Cross

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South coast of Australia to 1772 and beyond

Although part of the south coast, from Cape Leeuwin to around Fowlers Bay, was first mapped in 1627, there are no documented accounts of any visits until Vancouver entered King Georges Sound on 29 September 1791, staying until 11 October 1791. While extensive investigation were undertaken in the area, and

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Discussion on Dutch influence on the Nhanda language.

Nhanda is an Aboriginal language of Western Australia, once spoken along the coastal strip from possibly as far south as Hill River north through to Champion Bay and the mouth of the Murchison, up to country just south of Shark Bay. There has been very little work on Nhanda until

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WWII Camp Victory Casino

After the Japanese invasion of Indonesia in 1942, the Dutch fled to Australia taking with them Indonesian soldiers, sailors, government officials and more. The Dutch Government made a deal with the Australian Government which gave the Dutch extra-terrestrial rights over many Indonesian refugees, declaring several former army camps as Dutch

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Petronella Jacoba Wensing OAM

Petronella Wensing (1924-2023) was a Dutch migrant to Australia who passed away in 2023. Below is an obituary written by her son Ed (posted with permission). A short story about Petronella was published in The Canberra Times: The Canberra Times also published a shortened version of Ed Wensing’s obituary for

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Dutch Australians at a Glance (DAAAG)

Introduction DAAAG was created to be an accessible, easy to navigate, multimedia internet service dedicated to the sustainable digital preservation of Dutch Australians’ cultural heritage – for use by scholars, researchers, bureaucrats, journalists, Dutch individuals and other digital end users worldwide. DAAAG is an initiative of the History of Migration

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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The Fourth Ally – the Dutch forces in Australia during WWII

by Doug Hurst – 2001 The Fourth Ally tells of the Dutch forces who fought from Australia against the Japanese during WW II. Driven by the Japanese from Indonesia (then the Netherlands East Indies), they relocated ships, aircraft and personnel to Australia. They joined with United States, British and Australian

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Dutch Migrant History – Queensland

Like everywhere else in Australia there is also a rich history of the Dutch in Queensland. Many Dutch people settled here after WWII. The Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile was based in Wacol, Brisbane and that also resulted in Dutch people staying or coming to Brisbane immediately after the war. In

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Batavia research at Flinders University Archaeology

Research by Domínguez-Delmás Daly and Flinders Associate Professor Wendy van Duivenvoorde, is carried out on Batavia’s wreck timbers, currently on display at the Western Australian Shipwrecks Museum in Fremantle. Built in Amsterdam in 1628 CE and wrecked on its maiden voyage in June 1629 CE in Western Australian waters, Batavia epitomises Dutch East India

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Interview with Anthropologist Ad Borsboom

The interview (podcast) below is in in Dutch Profile Professor Ad Borsboom *Anthropologist; Research area: Aboriginal Australia. *Chair Pacific Studies Radboud University Nijmegen. *Teaching experience at all levels in Anthropology. *Publications for both scientific and general audiences (books, chapters in books, articles), editorials. See f.e. ‘De Clan van de Wilde

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Wacol Migrant Centre Remembered 1949-1987

In the immediate post-War World years, refugees from war-torn Europe were resettled in different places across Australia. By 1949, it is estimated that one-tenth of the American/Dutch/Australian Army’s Camp Columbia area became the Wacol East Displaced Persons Holding Camp. In the early 1950s the camp was developed to become the

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Nederlands Nationaal Archief – Emigratie database

In het Nationaal Archief vind je antwoorden op vragen die betrekking hebben op jouw leven, de geschiedenis van Nederland ook in relatie tot andere landen, en de samenleving. We helpen je aan nieuwe inzichten door je toegang te geven tot het nationaal geheugen. De Nederlandse consulaten in Australië hielden een

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Joris Ivens – Doco Indonesia Calling

Ivens came to Australia in early 1945 as the Netherlands East Indies(NEI) Film Commissioner, to document the re-colonisation effort of the Dutch Indies from Australia.  He was employed by the NEI Government Information Service (NIGIS) in Melbourne they had 128 staff—25 of these ‘Indonesians’—(a branch office of three in Sydney),

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DACC Paper-based ARCHIVES

The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre was founded in 1983 and gives as its aims and objectives in its mission statement, the collection, preservation, promotion and dissemination of Dutch culture and heritage in Australia. The Centre immediately started the collection of material for the archives and Library and now, after almost

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The Dutch at Archerfield Airport, Brisbane

Australian and Dutch history meet at Archerfield Airport in Brisbane. During WWII this airfield played a critical role for the Dutch military who, after the Japanese armed forces occupied the Dutch colony of Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) to neighboring Australia. Over 20.000 people from NEI evacuated to Australia. Poor

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