The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre Ltd has as its aims and objectives the collection, preservation, promotion and dissemination of Dutch culture and heritage in Australia. It also aims to be a broad based source of information, advice, assistance and interest for the benefit of people of Dutch nationality or descent in Australia as well as for the wider Australian community. It will act as facilitator and intermediator where necessary.
History of the DACC
The DACC Ltd was founded in 1983 and was registered officially on 30 May 1984 as the Dutch Australian Centre Ltd. In 2002 the name was changed to Dutch Australian Cultural Centre Ltd. It came into being because the need was felt to establish a central organisation to preserve the rich history of Dutch immigration in the country.
Another reason was to become a "resources centre" for persons who wanted to study aspects of the Netherlands, be it economics or costumes and habits. A reference library was therefore established and an archive planned. These functions and activities are progressing now.
The first exhibition organised by the centre was in the Bondi Pavilion, in 1983, of Dutch artists living and working in Australia. Several equally successful exhibitions about immigration followed.
With acceptance grew the confidence in the centre and the Dutch Government granted the DAC in 1986 an amount of 15.000 guilders, while the Netherlands Society in Sydney made $500 available for the Reference Library. Further grants were received from the Australian Government in 1995, ($14.500 to employ a part-time administrative assistant in 1996) and in 1997 from the Netherlands Benevolent Fund for the reference library. In the last year $5000 for the archives, $1600 for a website and oral history came from the Dutch Government and a total of almost $12.000 from various Australian Government Institutions. Thanks to all this the centre employed a part-time archivist.
The importance of the DACC grows as the various social Dutch societies and clubs slowly disappear from the scene. However, the grandchildren of the original Dutch immigrants are getting more and more interested in their grandparents' history and want to trace their roots and their lineage.
Very few, if any, young members (the children of the immigrants - the second generation) ever joined the existing clubs. They were more interested in assimilating.
There are still a few active clubs left with a broad members base and in a sound financial position. Alas the members are ageing and so are the committees of the clubs. Although this is sad in a way, it makes the position and standing of the DACC Ltd in the Dutch community stronger.
The clubs want their history preserved and have been collecting their minute books and other documents to hand them over to the archives. Many older Dutch people are doing the same. After all these years the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre has finally come into its own.
Since 1993 the DACC Ltd had been able to use a building in the grounds of a retirement facility, the Abel Tasman Village in Chester Hill.
This was made possible through the support for the centre from the late Anton Kool, who for many years was Chairman of the Federation of Netherlands Societies Ltd.
However, with the ageing of the Dutch immigrants comes a greater need for care and consequently for more space. The DACC vacated the building and moved to 85 Market Street, Smithfield.
Library and Archives: mission statement
The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre Reference Library and Archives exist to disseminate knowledge and history of Dutch culture and promote the study thereof in Australia by collecting any material relevant to the Dutch-Australian link, for the wider Australian community, in particular those of Dutch descent.
Over the years the collection of books has grown considerably, and of course continue to grow. Many Dutch people donate books along with documents and photos.
There is an extensive segment of books about WWII, both in English and Dutch, the former Dutch East Indies and of course Dutch history. A small number of novels are also kept as a snapshot of the taste of the immediate postwar immigrants.
The Library is accessible on request and every possible assistance will be given. As it is a Reference Library, books can be accessed, but cannot be borrowed.
Archives.
The documents relating to the history of the Netherlands ex-Serviceman and Women Association have been neatly sorted and properly filed. They will now be available for future reference.
The next task is the sorting and culling of the documents relating to the Queen Wilhelmina Benevolent Fund.
Since this fund was created in 1903 there is much to be put in chronological order. The fund was amalgamated with the benevolent fund of the Federation of Netherlands Societies and is now registered as Queen Wilhelmina Dutch-Australian Benevolent Fund. It assist with the finance for the yearly holidays for the elderly, social welfare activities, the many ‘instuif’ groups and an assortment of works undertaken by active Dutch community members to the benefit of the general Dutch Community
RECEIVED:
Inclusion of children in Dutch passports
no longer valid from 26 June 2012
With effect from 26 June 2012it will no longer be possible to include children in Dutch passports.
Existing inclusions will lose their validity on that date. Children who have been included will no longer be able to travel abroad on that basis with effect from 26 June 2012.
All children will need to have their own travel documents, irrespective of their age.
Passports in which children are included will remain valid until the end of their validity period. The holder of the passport can still travel on it.
A European regulation makes the principle of ‘one person per passport’ mandatory as of 26 June 2012.
An inclusion in a passport is more susceptible to fraud than a document issued in the name of only one person.
Consulaat-Generaal van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden te Sydney
Once again, it all went off with a bang! Photos: Theo ten Brummelaar.
Below: Left: The "Echoes from the Past" project.
Below right:
Theo ten Brummelaar and Jan Mees, interviewed by Anneke Boudewijn, of SBS Radio Dutch program.
"Echoes from the Past"
has been coordinated by Frances Larder,
with support from the Dutch Australian Cultural Centre,
the Government of The Netherlands,
the Queen Wilhelmina Benevolent Fund, Dutch Immigration Funds
and Liverpool Council.
Publications for Sale
Come along . We are open between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the shop is open, on Wednesdays and Sundays or by appointment. . The Dutch Australian Cultural Centre, through the Dutch Shop, the restaurant and furniture section, and around the corner!
Missed out on obtaining a copy, at the recent Dutch fair, organised by the Rembrandt Club, St Marys? Drop in to the DACC, through the Dutch Shop, 85 Market St Smithfield, when the DACC is open, Sundays, Wednesdays or by appointment.
As well as keeping members informed about the goings on in the DACC, it also tries to have a calendar of events and a section for "letters to the editor". All contributions are welcome, especially if people have advance knowledge of upcoming events.
RECEIVED: Nederlanders die in het buitenland wonen of voor hun werk tijdelijk in het buitenland verblijven, mogen stemmen bij de Tweede Kamerverkiezingen op 12 september 2012. Om een stembiljet te ontvangen moet men zich registreren via: www.denhaag.nl/verkiezingen. Het registratieformulier moet voor 1 augustus 2012 binnen zijn bij de gemeente Den Haag OF de Ambassade in Canberra, het Consulaat-Generaal in Sydney of één van de Honoraire Consulaten in Australië.
A team of volunteers has been working, and continues to work on the archives, for a very long time. After processing the NESWA files (Netherlands Ex-Services Men and Women Association), work has now begun on the records of the Queen Wilhelmina Benevolent fund.
The DACC is pleased to have been informed that the CIE (Centre for International Heritage Activities), based in the Netherlands launched: www.heritage-activities.org/ at a reception, held in Fremantle, WA, on February 20, 2012.
