https://www.getready.qld.gov.au Life in Australia is amazing - but not without risks. Storms, floods, bushfires, heatwaves, tropical cyclones and other threats always hover in the background. I currently live in the Netherlands, but it always saddens me to see reports of these kind of disasters that touch the lives of friends, family and other fellow Australians. … Continue reading Australian Emergencies and Disaster Management
Life in Australia
Personal posts about life in Aus
Caloundra, Australia
What are your favourite places in Australia and the Netherlands? As a Dutch Australian who has lived my life between the two countries, I'm sharing a few of mine. One place that is very close to my heart is Caloundra, on the Sunshine Coast in Australia. I was born in Brisbane and my family then … Continue reading Caloundra, Australia
Renting a home in Queensland
I'm sorting through some old documents today, and found this one for renting a home: a tenant's guide to the rules for renting in Queensland This is from some time ago, when we moved from the Netherlands (back) to Australia in 2007. Back then, we had a young baby and found an apartment for the … Continue reading Renting a home in Queensland
Dutch television show Grenzeloos Verliefd (Love without borders) is looking for candidates
Dutch television show Grenzeloos Verliefd (Love without borders) is looking for candidates. In Grenzeloos Verliefd, we follow Dutch men/women who are in love and who are about to leave the Netherlands to move abroad for their foreign significant other. Is your Dutch boy/girlfriend, husband of wife about to move to Australia to live with you? … Continue reading Dutch television show Grenzeloos Verliefd (Love without borders) is looking for candidates
2016 Summer holiday in Australia
For those who are new to this blog - we're a Dutch Australian family who currently live in the Netherlands (read more about us here). We have spent more than a decade now travelling between the two countries. We have now settled long-term in The Hague and are happy here, though I miss Australia every … Continue reading 2016 Summer holiday in Australia
How to Australianise my children?
My Dutch Australian children have spent a few years of their life in Australia, but we have now settled in The Netherlands. When we left Australia in 2012, our girls were aged 3 and 5. They still remember a lot of things about our life there, but it's sadly fading fast. While in The Netherlands, … Continue reading How to Australianise my children?
I have two homes
My daughters and I left The Hague, The Netherlands on 7 December for a holiday and have had the most amazing month on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. You can read more about my connection to both countries and the first five things I did when we arrived (back) in Australia. We've been staying with my parents … Continue reading I have two homes
The first five things I did when I arrived back in Australia from The Netherlands
To bring you up to speed if you're not yet a regular on this blog, I'm a Dutch Australian who grew up in Australia, then married a Dutch man and lived in The Netherlands from 2002-2007. In December 2007, we moved to Brisbane but then our family relocated to The Hague last year (July 2012). … Continue reading The first five things I did when I arrived back in Australia from The Netherlands
Do kangaroos have two legs or four?
An American friend has asked me - Do kangaroos have two legs or four? She has a bet riding on this and needs to know an official answer. She asked me as an Australian - but I have no idea! There is no doubt about the two legs they hop with of course, but are … Continue reading Do kangaroos have two legs or four?
Australia (almost) has a new Prime Minister: Tony Abbott
Last week I wrote about my personal perspective on Australian politics and the upcoming election. As I write, it's Saturday evening in The Netherlands and I'm watching and listening to Australia's soon-to-be new Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, give his victory speech on ABC News online. As someone who isn't enrolled to vote in this particular … Continue reading Australia (almost) has a new Prime Minister: Tony Abbott