Churches, Clubs and Societies

The Dutch- Australian Society Illawarra

Founded in 1952 the Dutch Australian Society Illawarra (DASI) today aims to provide and maintain traditional Dutch cultural functions and activities for the elderly Dutch and Australian members. In November 1968 DASI members found a permanent facility to open a $13,500 clubhouse. Since its conception DASI has featured frequently in  newspapers and magazines such as the Illawarra Mercury and the Australian Womens Weekly.

Excerpt from Australian Womens Weekly, Wednesday, 10 October, 1979. Accessed:  National Library of Australia

Excerpt from Australian Womens Weekly, Wednesday, 10 October, 1979. Accessed:  National Library of Australia

The Dutch-Australian Society Illawarra Clubhouse Woonona. Its Dutchness is easily recognisable from the outside thanks to its large Windmill motif. (J.de Jong, 2010.)

Catholic Church Migrant Association Wollongong

Reformed Church Fairy Meadow

Encouraged by the presence of a Dutch minister, many Dutch migrants chose to attend the Christian Reformed Church at Fairy Meadow. Reverend Jac Jonker, a promoter of migration from overpopulated Holland himself moved to Wollongong during the 1960's. 

Agatha's father was a Reformed Church Minister in Holland, and so therefore it was logical for her to attend the  one at Fairy Meadow. Although, she remembers a cultural difference when she first began to attend-

I went to church hatless and so did my friend Marry. One Sunday night we were asked to come to the vestry. There on the table were hats, about 15 I would say.

"Would we like to pick one?" they asked. Marry and I started to try them on with great difficulty, hiding our mirth. Then we said "Thank you very much, but we don't like hats". Before the war in Holland hats had gone out of fashion and in Indonesia, nobody did!

My Kees thought it was a great joke but Marry's husband was very offended. (Agathas Story, 2002)

Christian Reformed Church, Fairy Meadow (J. de Jong, 2010).