Dutchies in the Illawarra enjoy mid-winter "dinner". by MrJoop
It is often said that the Dutch were the invisible immigrants, in Australia.
Dutchies In The Illawarra, has been written by Bill Fikkers, who migrated from the Netherlands, in 1950 and is well qualified to tell you about the Dutchies in the Illawarra. 
A midwinter dinner was held, Sunday 4 July, 2010, at the Australian Society in Illawarra Club premises, 469-471 Princes Highway, Woonona, NSW.
A “full house” enjoyed the pea soup and all the other good food, while being entertained with music, jokes and songs, at the Midwinter Dinner, 
While suffering a little bit from midwinter-blues (?!?) myself, I went along to take a peek and met up with the author of: Dutchies In The Illawarra, Mr Bill Fikkers.
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The Dutch Australia Society in the Illawarra (DASI) was founded in 1952 and is affiliated with the Federation of Netherlands Societies.
The club publishes a monthly newsletter “De Stuw”.
The aim of DASI is to provide and maintain traditional Dutch cultural functions and provide activities for the elderly Dutch and Australian members.
A number of well attended activities are offered by DASI members who volunteer their time and services:
Cards on Monday afternoon, Billiards on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Pensioner group SVDO meets every second Wednesday, Social dance evenings, Traditional St. Nicholas party for children, Oranje Bal, Video afternoons and, obviously:
Midwinter dinner.
Comments
I have twice been a “Dutchie in the Illawarra” but both times rather temporarily.
In 1962 I was relieved to receive a ‘scholarship’ (which was the only way) to attend the brand-new Wollongong Teachers College, which did not even have its own buildings yet.
The very first year we were accommodated in the Technical High School, North Wollongong and I boarded from Monday night to Friday morning in East Corrimal with a caring elderly lady, called Mrs Ryan.
Apart from sitting in the local coffee shop, feeling really ‘hip’ (having ONLY coffee)! I did not really get to know Wollongong all that well.
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In the early nineties, I bought a home unit, at Lake (Illawarra) South, just across the Windang Bridge, and, again, was only there to sleep and spend the weekends. I returned to Sydney full-time after only a brief period there.
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In the seventies I visit the club house of “D.A.S.I.”, with my parents, as my father was the "president of the Netherlands Society in Bankstown and my parents attended dances and other events there.
I remember combining the visit with a look down the road in the ballroom dancing venue, where there was a competition going on, because that was “my thing”, at the time.
I have been back since, e.g., in connection with (SBS) Radio 2EA activities, in 1979 and a year or more back, in connection with the ‘Echoes from the Past’ project.
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It was so good to see this well-attended (full house) function today. “Give it up”!!! ….for the hard-working committee that continues to make all this work, including those volunteers (of ALL ages, including the young).