The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre

The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre The DACC aims to collect, preserve, promote and disseminate Dutch Australian culture, history and heritage. The archives can be visited by appointment.

The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre (DACC) was established in 1983 and formed as a company limited by guarantee in 1984. The Centre was formed to establish a central organization with the following two main aims:
1. To preserve the rich history of Dutch contact with, and immigration to Australia;
2. To set up a resource facility for anyone wanting information regarding the Netherlands, its peo

ple and their traditions. Current Board Members are listed on our website: https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/about/

Initially the DACC was housed in an Annex of the Abel Tasman Village, a retirement centre in Chester Hill. In 2006 the DACC moved to ‘t Winkeltje, Holland House, Smithfield (Sydney). In 2020 the DACC and all its archives moved back to the Abel Tasman Village in Chester Hill. The DACC was involved in the formation of Dutch Link, an organisation set up by representatives of Dutch multinational companies to accommodate business and social interests of all people with a Dutch background, migrants and expatriates. We find that younger Dutch Australians, and Dutch expatriates, are often not very aware of the important work involved in preserving Dutch Australian heritage. The history of post-WWII immigrants is a large chunk of our work but there is much more to Dutch Australian heritage than that. The magnificent 'Mapping Australia' exhibition in the National Library of Australia made that clear. About half of the old maps displayed there were of Dutch 17th century origin, the products of VOC cartographers and seafarers who circumnavigated the Australian continent and mapped most of it. The history of the WWII itself is also reflected in the role of the Dutch as the “Fourth Ally” and in important tales of those who came as refugees in 1942 from the Dutch East Indies. And it is the story of several important individual contributions prior to WWII such as the Broken Hill Pty Ltd General Manager and pioneer Guillaume Delprat. Another example is the music shop operator Paling who started his business on the Victorian Gold Fields in the mid-1850s. The Dutch contribution to the history of this continent is both unique and significant. This is often not realised widely in the Netherlands. However, unless we display it ourselves it may well be lost.

The 2026 Tesselaar Tulip Festival kicks off in a few weeks' time! Are you ready for beautiful tulips?!🌷🌷🗓 12 September -...
23/08/2026

The 2026 Tesselaar Tulip Festival kicks off in a few weeks' time! Are you ready for beautiful tulips?!🌷🌷

🗓 12 September - 11 October
🕑 Open daily 10am-5pm
📍 Tesselaar Flower Farm, 357 Monbulk Road, Silvan VIC
🖥 Book your tickets here: https://tulipfestival.com.au/
📸 DACC

In keeping with , today's article spotlights the religious life of Dutch people who migrated to Kingston, Tasmania. In ...
20/08/2026

In keeping with , today's article spotlights the religious life of Dutch people who migrated to Kingston, Tasmania. In his book 'Shaping Kingston', Kees Wierenga chronicles these migrants' 60+ year story, a story based on faith and prayer, bold decision making, determination and costly effort.

🖥 Read more about this story, and Wierenga's book, here: https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-australian-history/dutch-migration/book-shaping-kingston-the-story-of-gods-children-in-kingston/

📷 Cover of 'Shaping Kingston'.

19/08/2026

Dutch Australian Johnny Young passed away last week at the age of 79. Born in Rotterdam as Johnny de Jong, Young migrated between the Netherlands and Australia several times during his childhood. In Australia he developed a successful career in the entertainment industry as a singer, songwriter and TV producer.

🖥 Read his story:

Johnny Young was one of Australia’s most influential singers, songwriters, television producers and popular entertainers. To generations of Australians, he is best remembered as the host of Young Talent Time, the long-running television program that Read more

🌏 The Australian National Monument to Migration, or Welcome Wall, is a monument dedicated to migrants who have come to A...
18/08/2026

🌏 The Australian National Monument to Migration, or Welcome Wall, is a monument dedicated to migrants who have come to Australia and contributed to the nation’s development.

📍 There are Welcome Walls in Sydney and Fremantle. Is your family on one of the Welcome Walls? Let us know in the comments!

🖥 For more info or to search the Walls, visit: https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-australian-history/dutch-migration/search-the-welcome-walls-databases-for-immigrants/

📸 Welcome Wall at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Source: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Image unchanged.

Many people know the ships that brought Dutch migrants to Australia: Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Waterman, Zuiderkruis, Wi...
16/08/2026

Many people know the ships that brought Dutch migrants to Australia: Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Waterman, Zuiderkruis, Willem Ruys, etc. But what do you know about the man who helped design them?

Cornelis Bijvoet was a shipping engineer, a World War II naval officer, and a senior technical advisor to the Dutch post-war shipping industry. In this role he oversaw the conversion of three troop ships to major immigrant ships.

🖥 Read his story here: https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-australian-history/dutch-migration/cornelis-bijvoet/

📸 Cornelis Bijvoet in his office as Chief Engineer working on the Oranje. 1940s. Photograph courtesy of Shanti Wong.

13/08/2026

✨ The Home Front Festival is on THIS SUNDAY! The festival promises a fascinating day of living history, music, military re-enactments, displays and family activities, while offering visitors the opportunity to discover the remarkable wartime history that unfolded across Brisbane’s south-west - including the Dutch history through the Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile.

🗓 Sunday 16 August
🕐10am-4pm
📍 Wolston Farmhouse, 223 Grindle Road, Wacol QLD

📸 Event info & tickets: https://nationaltrustqld.org.au/whats-on/home-front-festival-16082026/

Hosted by the National Trust of Australia (Queensland) and the Camp Columbia Heritage Association.

EVENT REMINDER: Professor Hans Pols, a Dutch expert on the history of medicine in the Dutch East Indies/Indonesia, will ...
11/08/2026

EVENT REMINDER: Professor Hans Pols, a Dutch expert on the history of medicine in the Dutch East Indies/Indonesia, will deliver the 2026 Dr Ben Haneman Memorial Lecture at the State Library of New South Wales.

In the lecture Prof. Pols will discuss his research into Australia's mental health system and explore the origins of community mental health in Australia.

📅 Today, Wednesday 12 August
🕒 6-7.30pm
📍 State Library of New South Wales

🖥 Registration & event info: https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/ben-haneman-memorial-lecture-professor-hans-pols

In memory of Jan (John) MeesAmersfoort, 1928 - Chester Hill, 2026Jan was a longtime volunteer in Dutch community groups ...
10/08/2026

In memory of Jan (John) Mees
Amersfoort, 1928 - Chester Hill, 2026

Jan was a longtime volunteer in Dutch community groups in New South Wales, including the DACC and the Dutch Australia Society Concordia, in Newcastle. At the DACC he was a board member, appeared as Sinterklaas at cultural events, and contributed to initiatives to record and preserve Dutch heritage and community life in Australia.

You will be missed.

Read about Jan's contributions: https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-australian-history/dutch-migration/personal-stories/jan-john-mees-1928-2026-a-lifetime-of-service-to-the-dutch-australian-community/

Address

Abel Tasman Village, 222 Waldron Road
Chester Hill, NSW
2162

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share