General News
31 October, 2025
The story of a Dutch migrant — 70 years in Australia : Part 3
I was then successful in altering the boundary line at Moliagul, as it too had become part of “Loddon Shire”.
The “Welcome Stranger” monument had always been part of the former Bet Bet shire. Following a meeting with electoral officers, I was able to change the name of North Ward to “Flynn Ward”, named after John Flynn, born in Moliagul in 1880, the pioneer, who created “Flynn of the Outback”, forerunner of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In the past I supplied The Maryborough Advertiser with some stories and photos of historic buildings for their tourist magazine.
In 1994, I spotted a notice in the local paper where the Dunolly Primary school was looking for volunteers to assist grade prep and grade 1 with exercises PMP – Perceptory Motor Program. I applied, and after a police check, I got the position. These exercise routines were of great benefit which helped the students with their studies. I assisted with reading, mathematics, painting, swimming, bushwalking, flying a kite, playing cricket, and cooking pikelets. I showed the students the art of goldpanning during their Colonial Festival. I became an Intergration Aide and left school in 2002.
I called a public meeting to establish the Northern Goldfields Tourism Association promoting our local goldfields, local wineries and accommodation. Our group worked on creating the first Tiny Towns’ map for tourism.
In 1996, Henry and I were approached to become members of the World Gold Panning Association in 1997.
Our Australian team went to Italy, where the World Gold Panning Championships were to be held that year. It was our team’s aim to get the organisers’ bid, to win the World Gold Panning Championships for Maryborough in 2001 and for Australia. We were successful and got the world bid.
In 1989, we both participated in the World Gold Panning Championships in Coloma , California. Henry won a gold medal in the senior section. I won a gold medal in the National Gold Panning Championships at Forest Hill. From 1989 to 2007, we participated in World Gold Panning Championships in Italy, not far from Milan, also in Switzerland, Czech Republic, Finland, South Africa and Canada.
While in Canada, I was asked by the world president, if I would be a subeditor and write interesting stories for “Golden Times”, the World Gold Panning magazine for Australia, New Zealand, Italy and the USA. I did so for a number of years.
In 1996, my old Dutch school friend had come from Holland to visit us in Eddington. She told me I had to learn my Dutch language again. But after 45 years of not speaking a word of Dutch, I didn’t know where to begin a sentence.
With the help of two dictionaries – English/Dutch, and Dutch/ English, the words gradually came back, and I can have a Dutch conversation again.
Dutch migrants were often referred to as ‘the silent migrants’, as they came here, slotted in, worked hard and achieved.
In 2006, I called for expressions of interest to gather interest to celebrate “150 Years of Gold in Dunolly”. The meeting was well attended, and six months of celebrations followed, where almost everyone, organisations and clubs participated in events relating to history and gold.
In 2001, the World Gold Panning Championships were held in Maryborough.
The locals were given a treat to see panners from 20 other member countries, parading in their colourful national costumes in Maryborough’s street procession.
I handed out dozens of “Welcome Stranger” pins to the international panners. It amazed me just how much they already knew about our goldfields in Victoria and Western Australia.
Coloma, a very small township in Eldorado County, northern California, not far from Sacramento, was where gold was first discovered in the US in 1848 in the tailrace of the local sawmill, or Sutter’s Mill, as the locals say, situated on the south fork of the American river. I was interviewed on radio California and radio Zurich to explain the intricacies of world gold panning.
Henry and I became the ambassadors for the sister cities of Clunes and Coloma, and delivered many good articles and public relations between the two centres.
During our world goldpanning days which ended in 2006 in Canada, we travelled to many other European countries including England, Scotland and several trips to Holland.
In Finland, high up in the arctic circle the Gold Museum at Tankavaara, contains gold from around the world, including two illuminated showcases with our replicas of Australia’s “Welcome Stranger” and “Hand of Faith” gold nuggets. It even has a button from the Dunolly Museum up on its wall and the different goldpans used.
My brother and I joined an art class to brush up on our drawing skills and water colouring.
I became a member of the Dunolly Museum (Goldfields Historical & Arts Society Inc). I was elected secretary and treasurer and introduced a new bookkeeping system.
Henry and I established the Welcome Stranger Gold panning Association in Dunolly.
We conducted four successful championships, but found it difficult to continue without more volunteers.
The association finalised its operation, and I donated money to the Dunolly Museum to establish the “Welcome Stranger” research centre and arrange for a new heritage street sign board.
I also made a donation to St George Masonic centre towards their building fund. I’ve also successfully applied for grants for The Welcome Record (new printer), Dunolly Museum (microfiche and multi purpose printer), several grants for the “Welcome Stranger” gold panning (tourism).
With the help of two locals, we started the Dunolly Traders Association. It was well supported at that time and I became secretary and treasurer. We conducted a monthly market along historic Broadway shop fronts.
In 2000, Henry and I established our “Speciality Sawn Timbers” business, specialising in Australian hardwood timbers. Henry obtained a sawmiller’s licence, I did the administration side. We travelled to many markets. Our timber slabs were popular.
In 2010, I brought Australia Day to Dunolly, as Shire of Bet Bet councillors could not see a need for it, and since shire amalgamations, Central Goldfields had overlooked this, only holding it in Maryborough. It was also the year I was given “Citizen of the Year” award. Young Matthew Gibbs won the “Junior of the Year”. It was a glorious day!
Being a past member of the Perth Historical Society, we flew to Perth in 2016, and in our hire car drove to Shark Bay at Denham in Western Australia.
We participated in the 400 year commemoration of the landing of Dirk Hartog. I met the premier Mr Roger Cook, inspected their museum and visited Monkey Mia.
In 2018, I retired from public involvement, and handed the secretary and treasurer duties over to a new committee.
I joined the art class of renowned landscape painter Mal Gilmour and worked with oil paintings. I like drawing the old remnants of deserted farm houses, broken down blacksmiths structures, Australian landscapes, miners’ cottages and goldmining monuments. I have won several first and second prizes.
I also worked with Heritage Victoria restoring the first commercial building in Dunolly.
On October 16, 2025, Henry and I celebrated our 64th wedding anniversary.
Australia has been good to me. Looking back during my 50-odd years as a volunteer, I’ve met wonderful people and made lasting friendships.
It is vital to look to the future and embrace bold and new concepts, yet, it is important to look back on history, and learn from it, because, if you don’t know where you have been, you won’t know where you are going!
We now live life in the slow lane, still on the farm. We potter around in the vegetable garden, Henry tending his bees, while in my spare time, I still paint and draw.
I am so glad, that 70 years ago, (October 16, 1955) my parents chose Australia – the “Lucky Country”!