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Slideshow:
Overview
For
an overview of 150 years of VOC contact with Australia between 1606 and 1756 see "Voyages
and Expeditions"
DID
YOU KNOW?
A
series of FIRSTS in Australian history.
Proud sponsor of the Society
Become a sponsor and have your logo on this page. Contact us.
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Navigating through the Society's web site. Site map.
This website covers many aspects of the history of the VOC in Australia. Use the dropdown menus (above) to locate
relevant webpages or, alternatively, use the Information Overview page.
This provides a structured view of all the pages on this website with more detailed descriptions of their content.
Click here.
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What is the VOC?
The
Verenigde
Oostindische Compagnie
(United East Indies Company), or VOC, was
formed in the Netherlands in 1602 with the aim of sending ships to East Asia to buy
pepper, cinnamon and other spices and trade them on European markets. Its ships
sailed past, landed or were wrecked on Western Australia's coastline. Read all
about it on this site.
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Society
gets Award
The
National Chairman of the Commemorative Council of Australia on the Map 1606 - 2006
has
recognised the Society for
"Actively supporting the promotion of
knowledge and appreciation of early Australian history."
The Society appreciates this acknowledgement
of its efforts.
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What happened to the survivors of Dutch shipwrecks on Western Australia's coastline?
The general consensus amongst historians and allied academics
is that these survivors would not have lasted for any considerable period of time. Reasons often quoted are hostile natives and the lack of survival skills amongst these
Europeans considering the harsh and unknown environment in which they found themselves. How wrong can you get! >>More
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Why
was there so much VOC activity along Western Australia's (WA) coast?
In
the very early days of Dutch trade, VOC ships stopped at the Cape of
Good Hope and then followed the Portuguese route across the Indian Ocean
to the East Indies. In 1610, Hendrik Brouwer, a senior official with the
Company, pioneered a new route. After the Cape he sailed south-east to
between 35 and 40 S lattitude and then east for about 3500 nautical
miles before turning north, sailing along the WA coast, towards Sunda
Strait and Java and then Batavia - the centre for Dutch trade with Asia.The
route was officially adopted. It was six months quicker!
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New web page about the Society: its mission, objectives, contact information and membership details.
The Society is growing and achieving results in its endeavour to meet its objectives.
Our loyal members have supported these efforts for nearly a decade and we invite you to join us in a bid to Enrich Australia's History. Or, maybe, send us a donation.
To check it out Click here.
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THIS
MONTH IN VOC HISTORY
NOVEMBER
1629
The first Europeans to live permanently in Australia were two mutineers, Wouter Loos, a soldier, and Jan Pelgrom de Bye, a cabin boy, from the
ship Batavia. They were left marooned by Commander Pelsaert, on the West Australian coast near the mouth of the Murchison River, as punishment for
their role in the mutiny, the most horrific in the annals of maritime history >>More
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CAN
YOU HELP?
We
are seeking information about habitats, graves, artifacts and co-habitation with the
indigenous population by the survivors of VOC (Dutch) shipwrecks on Western Australia’s coastline.
Confidentiality is assured.
>>More
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AVAILABLE NOW!
Reproductions from original paintings by Adriaan de Jong.
They depict actual happenings in Australian history such as Dirck Hartogh's landing on Dirk Hartog island
and de Vlamingh's expedition in 1696/7. Check it out!
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Meet
the President