Dutch Courier
August 2012
PAGE 27
DIAMOND VALLEY DUTCH SOCIAL CLUB (VIC)
Hallo to all the members and friends of the Diamond Valley Club. It has been a while since you read an article from me, but after a very relaxing holiday I am now raring to go and keep you up to date with the happenings in the club. We had a great time in a warmer climate, which I’m missing already. It seems that as we are getting older the weather either is, or seems much colder, in particular at night, but with the right number of blankets you can keep warm and feel cozy. As you know there was a lunch whilst we were away. I was happy to still have played a bit of a part in that function. They told me that it was well enjoyed. It was a pity though, that the numbers were a bit down, but that is understandable with these cold days. Anyway, I hope to be there for the next lunch. That brings me to the yearly AGM which was held on Sunday the 29th of July. But I can only tell you about it, in the September Dutch Courier issue, as the editor needs this article for the August edition before or AGM date. Anyway among other things, on the agenda, we will have chosen a new committee. The current committee has been
THE LIMBURGER KANGAROOS (VIC)
Dear Karnaval Friends Our Limburger Re-union/Koffie Tafel last month was again a great success. There were approximately 100 persons in attendance so it was a very social Sunday afternoon get-together. As usual the Limburger Vlaai was very popular with every one and of course dancing afterwards to music played by Veltman’s Melodies. Tiny had a terrific combination of karnaval and dance music which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks to every one who helped out on the day, it was much appreciated. Well fi nally after many hours of planning our special Anniversary function has arrived and this will be a weekend not to be missed so if you haven’t made your bookings as yet, you will need to hurry as time is running out. 5X11 (55) Anniversary Celebrations are here on the week-end of the 24/25/26th August at the Hungarian Community Centre, 760 Boronia Road, Wantirna The Friday night will be a Fancy invited guests and clubs from all around Australia in attendance. Only limited seating left - so bookings essential - $10.00 per person. Sunday Afternoon - Farewell / Speeches / Presentations by all Karnaval clubs/Luncheon. Music by Veltman’s Melodies Tickets available at $20.00 per person which includes your lunch. For catering purposes, tickets must be purchased prior to function. For any bookings / tickets please contact Ina Douni on 9798-8058 or Annie Schroeders on 98333642. Our President Sjaak Hendriks, Prins Harry 3rd and Raad members are looking forward to having a fantastic week-end with all our Karnaval friends, past and present, so we hope to see you there. With a Three Times Kangaroos Alaaf ! Claire Houben Secretary 9770 5887
the same one for the last twelve years. Having been the Club’s editor from before that time, I well remember, making a nice newsletter for the celebration of our 25th anniversary. Th is year we hope to reach our 40th anniversary. That of course will be an item that needs to be discussed. We intend to make it a very nice outing for the club, but more about that in the September edition of the Dutch Courier. That’s all. Till we meet again in the next Dutch Courier. Cheerio from Piet Kerstjens.
front of his computer, armed with his new skills, before he fi nally fi nished the manuscript. The book titled, “Fifty Years In The Promised La nd”, was launched in Biloela, Central Queensland on August 15th 2009 and after a short time a second edition was printed. Peter’s story details his journey from clogs to T-Boots and Akubras. It explores the difficulties he endured coming to terms with an extremely different culture, climate and language. Peter migrated to Australia together with Martin Vogels in 1957 on board the “SS Zuiderkruis” to follow their dreams and explore this Promised Land. When we arrived in June in Sydney we were put on a train at night for Brisbane and it was extremely cold on this old steam train and had to keep moving to keep warm until a young man pulled a bottle of rum our of his big overcoat and said; have a swig of this, it will warm you up. We didn’t know what it was but it was the best medicine we ever had. En route to Brisbane the train stopped at dawn in Casino. We were given a plateful of brown flakes. We didn’t know what they were but cold and hungry we ate them. “Then they came around with milk, and was our fi rst lesson how not to eat cornflakes” Peter laughed. Together they started work on a dairy farm in the Thangool area. Peter went back to Holland after two years to marry Martin’s sister Anne and they returned as a young couple on the “SS Waterman” to build a new future in the great southland, at the time referred to as “the land of milk and honey” by the immigration authorities in the 40s and 50s
Dress Ball starting at 7.30pm music by The Silver Beats Bookings essential - Tickets $10.00 per person If you come fancy dressed your $10.00 entry cost will be refunded by our sponser the Bank of Qld - Richmond. so come along in fancy dress and let’s start the week-end off in great style by having a real karnaval night and letting your hair down and having lots of fun. Saturday night will be the “Official “ Anniversary Ball starting at 7.00pm music by the Silver Echos.We look forward to this being a fantastic colourful karnaval night with many
NIEUW HOLLAND OVER FIFTY’S CLUB IN BLACKBURN
‘n SNERT DAG in NIEUW HOLLAND over 50’tigers Zo nou -en dan hebben wij ‘n “hotmeal” in de club -en zo hadden wij vorige maand ‘n snerthebben/hadden wij nogaleens zeer koude dagen !] -en had iedereen daar veel zin in. De soep ging er in als koek, maar werd begeleid met ‘n lekker want diverse leden zijn de koude ontlopen -en verblijven in Queensland. Als het weer gaat beteren, zien wij ze wel weer opdagen. Nog altijd blijven nieuwe leden weg. Zijn zij zo schuw ? U mag gerust eens langs komen , ‘n cuppa halen -en kennis maken met ons. Ons speel programma is ongewijzigt, wij spelen bingo [in het Nederlands, zo bezoekers uit Nederland zijn ook zeer welkom ] -en wij hebben dringend klaverjassers nodig. Wij zijn op Donderdagmorgens te vinden vanaf 9.30 vm tot ongeveer 13.15 nm in de Blackburn Senior Citizens Hall, Central Road in Blackburn ,Melway 48 A - 10 Het is heel makkelijk te vinden -en zeer nabij het Blackburn station -en diverse bus stops. Wilt U meer weten, bel Petra op 9790 0945 of mij 0978 8982
Dutch immigrant certainly has an interesting story to tell.
Peter Rutten, who left his family’s small 10 hectare farm in the south of Holland in 1957 to follow his dream to the vastness of inland of Australia, has always wanted to transpose his personal diaries into a book. In 2003, after moving off the land he was fi nally ready to sit down in front of a computer and start belting out his life story on the keyboard. The only problem was he couldn’t type
dag. Het viel allemaal in goede aarde, want op ‘n koude Melbourne winterse dag [en deze winter
following the end of World War 2. With encouragement from our children that the story had to be told, this has now come to fruition. Dating back to the days on the deck of the “SS Zuiderkruis” Peter has always kept notes and a diary. These documents, his wife Anne’s memories and her photo albums made compiling the publication easier. “When we came over we were put to work on a dairy farm in Central Queensland and lived in a little hut at the bottom of this hill and there was nothing or nobody for miles. “We were thousands of miles from
broodje -and ice cream toe. Verder verliep alles op normale rolletjes. Het is tamelijk rustig in de club,
family and friends, in a strange land and we really felt all alone in this world.” To help assimilate into their new community, Peter said they were given English lessons, via correspondence, from the immigration department. “I used to read the “Readers Digest” and although I could understand only every third or fourth word, I could still follow the story and soon picked up the new language.” These early years through to the decades they fought drought and raised a family on the land in the Central
and had never used a computer before. “The fi rst thing I had to do was go to TAFE and learn how to type” Peter said. “I am certain the teacher had grey hair by the time I had fi nished the course.” It took several years, of stealing some quiet moments in
Highlands and Callide Valley. Th is is all contained in his 274 page autobiography supported with photographs. Peter & Anne have just returned from Holland where they have launched the translated version of this book. Books available price $32.95 incl. postage & handling (Australia).
P.Rutten P/O box 462 Biloela Qld 4715. phone 07 49921383 Mob. 0429921383 email; [email protected]
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