Dirk Hartog 1616–2016: 400 years of Dutch-Australian connections
About this module
This resource has been generously supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Australia, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Dirk Hartog on the West Australian coast in 1616.
It adopts an inquiry learning approach that develops students’ skills as historians. The resource engages students with a rich selection of historical sources and challenges them to draw their own conclusions about Dutch–Australian connections over the past 410 years. It focuses on Dutch–Australian cooperation in World War II, Dutch experiences in Australia and the contribution that Dutch migrants have made to Australia’s success as a nation.
The resource gives teachers flexibility. The highlight of the resource is the selection of sources from the National Library of Australia’s collection. The student activities that support the sources cater for a variety of classroom contexts and learning styles.
Digital Classroom: Dirk Hartog 1616-2016 - 400 years of Dutch-Australian connections
Copyright for teachers
You can download all collection materials in this resource for education purposes. For more information, go to copyright for teachers.
Topics in this module
(1940). Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen, a Japanese single seat monoplane fighter, ca. 1940 [picture]. nla.gov.au/nla.obj-144931273
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
Curriculum links
The two themes, Dutch–Australian connections in World War II and Dutch experiences in Australia have been developed with specific reference to the content descriptions for Year 10 students in the Australian Curriculum: History.
- The significance of World War II to Australia’s international relationships in the twentieth century, with particular reference to the United Nations, Britain, the USA and Asia (ACDSEH110)
- The waves of post-World War II migration to Australia, including the influence of significant world events (ACDSEH144)
- The impact of changing government policies on Australia’s migration patterns, including abolition of the White Australia Policy, ‘Populate or Perish’ (ACDSEH145)
- The contribution of migration to Australia’s changing identity as a nation and to its international relationships (ACDSEH147)
The resource also has relevance to the English and the Civics and Citizenship learning areas and to the General Capabilities of Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Understanding, and Personal and Social Capability.
More to learn and do
Kathy Weeden reading her book Phonobet, illustrated by Kim Drane and published by NLA Publishing, at Enlighten at the Library 2024
