LEUNTJE ROELOFJE (LONNIE) van BRANDWIJK-van SWEEDEN
| Town/City | LAURIETON |
|---|---|
| First name | LEUNTJE ROELOFJE (LONNIE) |
| Last name | van BRANDWIJK-van SWEEDEN |
| Country of Origin | HOLLAND |
| Date of Birth | 17/02/46 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 18/05/60 |
| Submitted by | LEUNTJE ROELOFJE van BRANDWIJK |
Story
Reason for leaving homeland – PARENTS WANTED A BETTER LIVE AND FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR DAUGHTERS.
About the Journey – LEFT AMSTERDAM 11 APRIL 1960 IN THE “JOHAN VAN OLDENBARNEVELDT” SHIP VIA; SOUTHAMPTON/ENGLAND, GENOA/ITALY, PORT SAID, SUEZ, ADEN (YEMEN), FREMANTLE, MELBOURNE, TO ARRIVE IN SYDNEY 18th MAY 1960 AT WOOLLOOMOOLOO 10.
Impressions on Arrival – IT WAS A BRIGHT AND SUNNY THE DAY THAT WE ARRIVED, I WILL NEVER FORGET COMING THROUGH THE HEADS AND THE HARBOUR LOOKED FANTASTIC, SO CLEAR AND BLUE. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MY ELDER SISTER AGAIN. I HAD NOT SEEN HER SINCE 1956 WHEN SHE MIGRATED TO AUSTRALIA.
DID NOT LIKE THE ALL GIRL SCHOOL, WEARING A SCHOOL UNIFORM AS I NEVER HAD TO DO SO BEFORE, NOT SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE. I WAS HOMESICK FOR THE FIRST 18 MONTHS AND WOULD HAVE GLADLY RETURNED “HOME” IF MY PARENTS HAD ALLOWED IT.