Affiliated organisations

List of events, organised by the Dutch Australian Society, Illawarra

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You are listening to interviews recorded for SBS Radio Dutch Language, recorded at the NSW Holland Festival, Rembrandt Club, St Marys.

From the chair, by Mr Theo ten Brummelaar:

We still wrestle with the division, in the Dutch Language Community, in Australia.

We talk about the older and younger generation. , the migrants and the new arrivals and even the Western Dutch and the North Shore Dutch Groups. I now believe there is such a difference in experience, education and history, between the Dutch speakers of the earlier migration periods and those who arrived, in more recent times, that combining them as a whole is impossible. I think that we have to realise that the early migrants have become much like the general Australian population, even though we - and I belong to this group - like to be recognised for our Dutch origin.

We like to get together and celebrate what we feel are the ties that bind us to our heritage but I don't think we can call ourselves Dutch people any more........

Read on..............

Received: New book, by Drs Nico Vink: Verbannen uit Indië (1936-1945) Meer informatie hier.
NIEWSBRIEF AUGUSTUS '08 NIEUWSBRIEF SEPTEMBER '08
A Volunteers Award was presented to Mr Jan Mees, for his services to the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre, Smithfield and to the late Ankie Dupree and Jan Mees for their services to the Concordia Club in Newcastle by the NSW Heritage Office, on Thursday 20 November, in the AGL Theatre, Museum of Sydney and the following citation gave details of the award:

Our final Heritage Volunteer Award goes to JAN MEES and the late ANKIE DUPREE who were nominated by the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre, Sydney and the Concordia Society, Newcastle

When Jan received news he was to receive this award he asked if he could share it in memory of a wonderful woman, his late partner of 30 years and an absolute rock of the Dutch-Australian community, Ankie Dupree.

Ankie, also known to her friends as Ann, lost a brave battle against cancer in July this year.

Ankie would have celebrated 25 years as President of Concordia in 2008 and her leadership throughout this time was without parallel. With Jan, Ankie was also a member of the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre in Sydney and she was a dedicated volunteer serving her local community and a great promoter of our nation’s multicultural heritage.

Jan is one of earliest members of the Centre, and is a popular hard working volunteer serving the Dutch community in both Sydney and Newcastle. He is the one you rely upon to get a job done quickly and efficiently.
He staffs the Centre, sits on its board, organises film, radio, and DVD afternoons at the Abel Tasman retirement Village, collects books and materials for the Centre’s library and archive, sets up exhibitions and is bus conductor and driver for the community’s day excursions. Jan even takes on the role of the Dutch Santa Claus (Sinterklaas) which is always a highlight of the community’s Christmas festivities.
Would you please join the Minister in congratulating JAN MEES and in saluting the memory of ANKIE DUPREE”
More here

    "Echoes from the Past"

    My name is Frances Larder.

    I am a committee member of D.A.C.C.

    I am of Dutch descent but was born in Dutch-East India, as it was called before the war.

    My parents and their 4 children arrived in Australia, after the war, like so many other war torn families.

    I obtained a degree in visual arts and for quite a number of years I participated in solo and group exhibitions both in Australia and overseas.

    "Echoes from the past" will consist of the following elements:

    * Two wall hangings (showing the maps of the Netherlands depicting before and after reclamation).

    * A marionette stage and marionettes depicting the costumes of each regions
    * The history and traditional celebration of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet

    * Miniature furniture to highlight how people lived in the early 1900s

    * Indonesian Wayang puppets highlighting the strong connection the Dutch had with the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia our closest Asian
    neighbour).

    * Indonesian batik traditions showing the link between the Dutch and Indonesian cultures
    * Video and dvd- telling some of the history, music, and dancing

    * A showcase displaying spare marionettes
    The proposed project will only be able to proceed with the help of the volunteers and sufficient funding must be made available to bring it to fruitition.

    For those willing volunteers or anyone needing more information,

    I can be contacted, here!

    Frances Larder.

    History of Bonegilla Army Camp,

    from: Australian Heritage Database
    • Timeline.
    • 1940 Bonegilla Army Camp established,
    • 1947 Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre established,
    • 1949 Army withdraws from site,
    • 1951 First assisted migrants received at Bonegilla,
    • 1966 Army reoccupies some blocks,
    • 1971 Migrant centre closed,
    • 1970s Demolition of most of the buildings except Block 19,
    • 1987 Back to Bonegilla Reunion,
    • 1988 Australian Heritage Commission Interim Listing on the Register of the National Estate,
    • 1996 Conservation Management Plan,
    • 1997 Bonegilla Festival, 1999 Bonegilla Festival,
    • 2000 Victorian Government grant of $2million for a commemorative centre,
    • 2005 Bonegilla Migrant Experience, commemorative centre to open in December.
    CAN YOU HELP? Sent in by: Rita de graaf de Jong. 

    I am searching for my  family tree, relatieves who are living in Australia.  

    The brother of my grandmother was  Jacob Schoon, born, 11-august-1884,   Kolhorn, Holland.   He died 1966, at Waterfall, Helensburgh,(83). Jacob arrived  per ship WAARWIJK, nov.,1908, Sydney. 

    He had fair hair, blue eyes , Was 5 ft 9 in. and had a tatoo mark on the right arm, bird over anchor. Jacob married in 1934, Jean Farrell,  in Bulli. Jean  arrived per IRISHMAN, 19 june 1913, and was born in Scotland. Jacob and Jean had 2 or 3 children,  Thelma ? Bill ?   

    I have a photo of the family, of 4. Also a photo of the parents and 3 brothers of  Jean. ( but not clear) Jacob Schoon visited his family in Holland, twice. The last time about 1960. If there is a person who can remember this persons or is related to Jacob Schoon, please email me. Rita de Graaf de Jong, Rijksweg 80 1786 PX,  Den Helder The Netherlands.

In the immediate post-war years, the Government decided to increase the population with immigration. The Minister of Immigration, Arthur Calwell, told Parliament, 'We cannot continue to hold our island continent for ourselves and our descendants, unless we greatly increase our numbers'. He wanted to treble the size of the Australian population. The newcomers would be obliged to enter into a work contract for two years and would prove a boost to the workforce, supplying labour for many major projects, such as the construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme.
Calwell decided to reuse the facilities at this and ~other military camps to provide accommodation for newly arrived migrants. Bonegilla was the second migrant reception centre, after Graylands WA, to receive Australia's intake of Displaced Persons from the Baltic States in December 1947 (Calwell's 'Beautiful Baits'). .................

The flow of Displaced Persons ceased in late 1951, and Bonegilla received assisted migrants, at first from Britain, the Netherlands and Italy. Improvements were made to the centre to receive the assisted migrants.

The buildings in Block 19, for example, were relined and painted. Sewer connections replaced deep-pit latrines in other parts of the camp. Later in the 1950s the accommodation was classified as primary, secondary or unserviceable; primary blocks included Blocks 12-19, 21 and 23.
The national press and the parliament paid close attention to the conditions at Bonegilla in 1949 when thirteen children, recently arrived, died from malnutrition. The centre captured national attention again in 1952 and 1961 when, in times of economic recession, migrants protested against the lack of employment available to them. The 1961 Bonegilla riot caused the non-renewal of the Italo-Australian immigration agreement.

full text: Australian Heritage Database

from the Dutch Courier Book Review - by Jeltje Fanoy Bonegilla: Where waters meet The Dutch Migrant Experience in Australia Compiled and edited by Dirk and Marijke Eysbertse Published by the Erasmus Foundation, 2006 (3rd Edition) GPO Box 3123 , Melbourne 3001 ISNN 0 646310054
"Early this year my Greek-Australian friend sent me a newspaper article about Gerard Willems, who is an acclaimed Australian pianist. Gerard came to Australia as a child and is now 60 years old. He still remembers thinking in 1958 that “he had landed on Mars” when he arrived from the Netherlands at a migrant camp in Wollongong .

In the intense heat of the Australian summer, the newly arrived families were expected to survive in Nissen huts surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Have we heard all this before, or is it that we are hearing it all again, anew, afresh, every day on the news?

What is this phenomenon of putting up displaced families in need, for indefinite periods of time, in what can only be described as socially remote, sub-standard and militarised zones?

And why isn’t there a constant public outcry about their plight?" MORE HERE

Book: Where the Waters Meet, by Dirk and Marijke Gijsbertse

www.flickr.com
Jo M.'s Oranje photoset Jo M.'s Oranje photoset

Mr Theo ten Brummelaar, chairperson of the Federation of Netherlands Societies celebrated the Dutch queen's birthday, by attending the event, organised by Dutch-link and De Kangoeroe School, held in Hunters Hill, May 3, 2008.

    VISIT TO SYDNEY BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL NETHERLANDS MARINE CORPS, ROB ZUIDERWIJK, CHIEF OF NETHERLANDS NAVY. MORE about his visit, HERE!

© Federation of Netherlands Societies Ltd 2006

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Shielded from traffic noise by a huge grass covered sporting field basking in the morning sun, with a thriving shopping centre, medical facilities, train and busses nearby, lies the Abel Tasman Village, a truly delightful aged care facility.
Built with Federal, State and considerable funding from Dutch, local and overseas organisations, the village is nestled in Chester Hill, a comfortable south western Sydney suburb, close to public transport and all essential amenities. The village has a few self care and 60 hostel units for the care of the elderly in the community. Although special efforts are made to cater for specific ethnic requirements of our residents but not to the exclusion of residents from other compatible backgrounds of which many have made Abel Tasman Village their home.

The Abel Tasman Village philosophy is to provide aging in place and look after residents' care and welfare for as long as possible, thus ensuring enjoyment and quality of life. ATV has a dementia specific wing and provide palliative care were needed
Radio 227
Check out the Rembrandt Club website!
Meeting, held 30 June, 07.
Club delegates discuss.
Delegates report
Representatives of Dutch - Australian organisations mingle, at the conclusion of the A.G.M. held 4 November 2006
Jo M. webmaster

58 Miranda Road, Miranda.

NSW 2228

Telephone: 9524 8409

Fax: 9525 3422

A HOMELY ENVIRONMENTIn the southern fringes of Sydney, situated within 18 kms from the city centre, bordered by the Georges and Port Hacking rivers and surrounded by five outstanding national parks, one finds modern, comfortable residential suburbs, bosting all forms of transport and sporting amenities.

heeft de intentie een verzoekplatenprogramma

voor emigranten te beginnen.

Meer informatie.