Explorers

A calm river snakes into the distance, with green grass on one side and trees on the other

George French Angas (artist) and James William Giles (lithographer), The River Murray, near Lake Alexandrina, 1847, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135637342

Angas Collection

Paintings, drawings, sketchbooks and manuscripts by George French Angas.

Collection guide

Map of Antarctica showing territories and dependencies.

Australia. Department of the Interior. Property and Survey Branch. & E. P. Bayliss, J. S. & Cumpston, Antarctica, 1939, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-236895938

Australian explorations in the Antarctic

Diaries, papers, photographs, maps and other material related to Australia's involvement in the Antarctic

Collection guide

Dirk Hartog 1616–2016: 400 years of Dutch-Australian connections

Module

This resource is aligned to the Australian Curriculum: History for Year 10 students.

Digital Classroom

black and white photograph of japanese world war two plane

Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen, a Japanese single seat monoplane fighter, 1940, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-144931273

Dutch–Australian connections in World War II

Topic

As World War II broke out across Europe in 1939, the Dutch had initially remained neutral. When Germany occupied the Netherlands in 1940, the Dutch lost the ability to defend their colonies in the Netherlands East Indies.

Digital Classroom

The world famous pop group the Easybeats visited the CBN 8 CWN Channel 6 studios in 1970 for a tape session to be included in a local programme

Stephen Fleay, The Easybeats rehearsing at the CBN 8 and CWN 6 television studios, Orange, New South Wales, 1970, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151176759

Dutch experiences in Australia

Topic

After World War II, the people of the Netherlands found themselves with a long journey ahead of them, resurrecting a war-ravaged country that was struggling to overcome recent famine and mass casualties in the Holocaust.

Digital Classroom

Dirk Hartog 1616–2016: 400 years of Dutch-Australian connections

Module

This resource is aligned to the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences for Year 4 students.

Digital Classroom

A map of southern Asia which details the early development of the English East India Company.

Herman Moll & William Dampier, Collection of voyages, A map of the East-Indies and adjacent countries [cartographic material] : with settlements, factories, and territories : explaining what belongs to England, Spain, France, Holland, Denmark, Portugal, etc. with many remarks not extant in any other map, 1729, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-231221936

The Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie

Topic

The Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie from the Netherlands (VOC or United East Indies Company) was established in 1602 with the purpose of buying spices from East Asia for trade on the European market.

Digital Classroom

Image of a pock marked copper plate with writing inscribed across it from top to bottom.

Replica of the Vlamingh Plate [realia], 1950, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135734827

Dirk Hartog and the Tale of Two Plates

Topic

As captain of the newly built Eendracht, Dirk Hartog was bound for the East Indies in 1616, along with other VOC ships.

Digital Classroom

An image from an old Dutch book showing some text with a pen drawing above the text of several tents on an island and many people fighting with each other.

Francisco Pelsaert, Ongeluckige voyagie van't schip Batavia na Oost-Indien uyt-gevaren onder de E. Franç̧ois Pelsaert : gebleven op de Abriolhos van Frederick Houtman op de hooghte van 28 en een half graden by Zuyden de Linie Equinoctiael : vervattende 't verongelucken des schips, en de grouwelijcke moorderyen onder 't scheeps-volck, op't eylandt Bataviaes Kerck-hoff nevens de straffe der handtdadigers in de Jaren 1628 en 1629 ; hier achter is by- gevoeght eenige discourssen der Oost-Indische Zee-vaert als mede de gantsche gelegentheyt der Koopmanschappen diemen in Indien doet., 1649, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-39984464

Shipwrecked!

Topic

At least four VOC ships were shipwrecked on the Western Australian coast in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Digital Classroom

Engraved portrait of James Cook in an 18th-century naval uniform, featuring a high-collared coat with buttons and light-coloured waistcoat. The illustration includes a small scene below showing a group of people interacting near the shore.

J. Chapman sculpsit, Captain Cook [picture], nla.gov.au/nla.obj-240952710

The legend and legacy of James Cook

Module

Explore the historical impact and legacy of James Cook's voyages in this learning module.

Digital Classroom

Painting of three large ships at sea, with two firing cannons at each other

El Castor contra la fragata de Henry cerca de la isla Puna, Museo Naval, Madrid (MNM), Cuartel General de la Armada

Privateers and piracy in the Pacific

Maritime historian Chris Maxworthy explored early interactions of colonial Australia with Peru and Chile (1788-1810).

Event

Video

German colonies in the Pacific

Papers and microfilm of original records relating to the German colonies in the Pacific from 1884-1914, and a selection of other books on this topic.

Collection guide

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