Heritage shared between the Netherlands and Australia (1606 -2016)

Exhibition and Lecture for the Netherlands Association Queensland at the Dutch Club in Richlands

Venue and Date: Dutch Club, 123 Pine Road, Richland 4077, on Saturday, March 2nd, at 9am. The lecture will be conducted in English and will run for 45 minutes, followed by an opportunity for questions and a walk along the exhibition banners. The presentation and exhibition visit are free.

With the generous support of the NAQ, the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre is delighted to present this lecture by Dr. Nonja Peters, based in Perth, to the wider Dutch community in Queensland.

This presentation forms part of the international exhibition “Dutch-Australian Migration Stories,” hosted by the NAQ from February 18 till 1 April which also features the compelling narrative of the Brisbane born Jennifer Tucker who runs the Amsterdam-based Australia Business In Europe.

Please register before February 29. – Send an email to dutchclubbrisbane@gmail.com or phone the club 07 3271 5662

In this seminar, Dr. Nonja Peters will explore the Maritime, WWII Military, post-war Migration, and Trade (Mercantile) heritage—referred to as the Four Ms—shared between the Netherlands and Australia. This historical connection dates back to 1606 when Captain Willem Janszoon and his crew arrived aboard the VOC ship Duyfken at the western side of the Cape York Peninsula in present-day Queensland, marking the first recorded European contact with the Great Southland. Notably, four VOC shipwrecks were discovered on the Western Australian coast between 1629 and 1727.

During World War II, the American, British, Dutch, and Australian Commando (ABDACOM) forces were allies, while the Administration of the Dutch East Indies (NEI) was in exile at Camp Columbia (Wacol), Brisbane, Australia.

In the immediate post-war period, approximately 130,000 Dutch individuals migrated to Australia, with Wacol serving as the largest migration centre in Queensland. From the 1960s to 2000, the Dutch played a significant role in Australian small and medium-sized businesses.

In this presentation, Dr. Peters will delve into the Four Ms and discuss the ongoing collaborative efforts between our two countries to preserve and celebrate this shared history for future generations.

About Dr. Nonja Peters:

Dr. Nonja Peters, PhD (Anthropology UWA), a Visiting Researcher at the Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands, is a distinguished Western Australian historian, anthropologist, museum curator, and social researcher. Her current focus lies in the aforementioned Four Ms, particularly exploring the sense of place, identity, and belonging of migrants, along with the digital preservation of migrant files in both home and host countries. Dr. Peters is renowned for her commitment to bridging the gap between academia and the public, with numerous publications, museum exhibitions, magazine articles, TV documentaries, and government reports to her credit. She collaborates internationally with academics, research institutes, heritage organisations, and local communities in both Australia and the Netherlands.

Dutch Australian Cultural Centre:

Jorien van Beukering the Executive Officer of the DACC will be the MC for the event.

The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre is a registered charity and nonprofit organisation. Their mission is to preserve and promote Dutch-Australian culture and history in both Australia and the Netherlands. They publish a free monthly e-newsletter, and warmly invite you to subscribe at dacc.net.au

Netherlands Association Queensland

Margreth de Graaf, President of the NAQ will welcome the delegates.

For numerous Dutch immigrants, the distance from their families in Holland and the process of adapting to their new lives in Australia posed significant challenges. It is from this perspective that the club has consistently provided support to its members and guests, fostering a sense of community and extending a warm welcome. For many Netherlands families and their descendants, the club is a home away from home where people can come to meet and celebrate their history, traditions and culture.

Dutchlink Brisbane:

Dutch organisations in Brisbane collaborate under the banner of Dutchlink. Other members include the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Queensland, Borrelclub Brisbane, Duyfken School, and Dutch Radio Group Brisbane. The group is supported by the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands, Mrs. Marjon Wind.

Doors open 9:00 am
Lecture starts at 10 am and will run for approximately 45 mins.

Coffee and Tea
Light refreshments
Plenty of parking
Close to Richlands Railway Station

Entry: Members and Non Members Free

Voluntary Gold Coin Donation 

Dutch Club NAQ

123 Pine Road
Richlands Qld 4077