Henry van Zanden has recently published a new book of interest to Dutch Australians: The Lost White Tribes of Australia Part Two: ‘Individuals of an Alien White Race’.
An earlier book, ‘1629 Mutiny on the Batavia.’ was also featured on this website and Henry has published several other books, which you can find on his website:
Henry tells us more….
After writing ‘The Lost White Tribes of Australia Part One’, I realised that there were many more stories to tell of marooned Dutch survivors of shipwrecks not only along the Western Australian coast but also northern Australia, NSW and South-western Victoria.
New evidence was uncovered regarding the survivors of both the Vergulde Draeck and the Zuytdorp. Artifacts were found including two with dates: 1807 and 1829. These were discovered in the Kennedy Ranges in WA and were the result of the descendants of the Zuytdorp survivors some of whom travelled inland. The first English explorer to arrive in the Kennedy Ranges was Francis Gregory in 1858. The first English settlers arrived in 1829.
Below: the two artifacts discovered in the Kennedy Ranges. The left is dated 1829 and the right, 1807.
In northern Australia, I read Lieutenant George Grey’s journal of discovery of European looking rock art. He also came across natives whom he described as ‘Individuals of an Alien White race.’ I came across a large number of examples of rock art that resembled Dutch sailors and European women.
In Victoria, I explored the South-western districts especially Lake Condah and stared in wonderment at the stone houses, large dams and weirs, rock walls and canals all built before the arrival of the British. I wondered if there was a possibility that these structures could have been influenced by Dutch shipwrecked sailors.
At the insistent prompting and help of some of the Warrnambool and Port Fairy residents, I researched the well documented Dutch galliot that had sunk in 1767, three years before the arrival of Cook.
Although I had no doubt that two ships had anchored in Port Fairy Bay, I was in shock when I discovered the reason why the ships called in at Port Fairy. Some of the sailors had smallpox and those who were sick were sent ashore to recuperate. One ship left the bay leaving the second ship ready for when the sailors were well enough to resume their voyage. However, two tragedies occurred. The first: ships sunk in a storm. The second: curious Aboriginals investigating the marooned sailors, contracted smallpox. This led to approximately 40% of the entire Aboriginal populations in Victoria, NSW, and even Queensland contracting smallpox.
Meanwhile, the second ship sailed to NSW stopping at Georges River, Balmoral Beach, and Taree where a European skull was found that was dated before the arrival of the British.
Want to read more? You can order the book via the website below. The first edition of The Lost White Tribes quickly sold out. A second edition has been published with more discoveries including a Dutch shipwreck at Esperance and a record of a longboat coming ashore at Eyre.
Cost: $55 plus $15 postage.
Parts One and Two: $80 including postage.
1629 Mutiny on the Batavia: $50 plus $15 postage
All three books: $145 which includes postage.
1642 Abel Tasman will be available in February 2019.
For more information and to order:
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