Dutch Journeys to the Western Edge State Library

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Fri 24 Jun 2016 - Sun 25 Sep 2016

Dutch Journeys to the Western Edge – State Library

If you are interested in Western Australian history or have Dutch heritage, a visit to the free Dutch Journeys to the Western Edge exhibition at the State Library of Western Australia, is a must.

I knew a little about some of the early Dutch landings and exploration of Australia's west coast, including the infamous Batavia incident, before I visited, but I certainly didn't know much about the more contemporary connections between the Netherlands and Western Australia.

This exhibition draws stories from the collections in the State Library beginning with Dirk Hartog's landing at Cape Inscription in 1616, but looks well beyond this to stories of trade, refuge and opportunity including recent Dutch military history and migrant journeys. It is the State Library's contribution to the recognition of the 400th Anniversary of the European discovery of the west coast of the Australian continent.


Until I visited this exhibition I had no idea why the Dutch Navy operated out of Fremantle during World War II nor did I realize what devastation the Japanese inflicted on Dutch nationals during World War II even after they had escaped from the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Neither did I know about the rich heritage that Dutch people brought with them in the post-war migration including Rob and Prada Van der Nagel's glamourous Coffee Pot café which provided sophistication, glamour and a haven from the conservative social policies of 1950s Australia.

This exhibition comprises mostly of documents, maps and information presented on large wall panels as many items from the State Library collection are too fragile to be put on public display. However, some artefacts such as a baby's shawl with drawings of a POW camp and a ring that had to be cut of a child's finger are on display.

#libraries
#history
#exhibitions
#june
#july
#august
#september
!date 24/06/2016 -- 25/09/2016
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