Australian boycott of Dutch shipping

The Black Armada was the name given to the campaign by Australian waterside workers, seamen and trade unions who, between 1945 and 1949, refused to load or service Dutch ships in support of Indonesian independence. This archive brings together contemporary newspaper reports documenting the boycott, union bans, political debate, diplomatic tensions, and the growing Australian support for the Indonesian Republic. It provides a valuable collection of primary sources for readers and researchers interested in Australian and Southeast Asian history.

Seamen will boycott Dutch ships

David Gormley-…
Date
Source archive
1948 'SEAMEN WILL BOYCOTT DUTCH SHIPS', The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 - 1954; 1998 - 2002), 30 décembre, p. 2. , viewed 23 avr. 2026, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116548312

Document topics

Black Armada by Rupert Lockwood

David Gormley-…
Date
Source archive
1976 'BLACK ARMADA by Rupert Lockwood (Australasian Book Society, 352 pp. Price: $7.95).', Tribune (Sydney, NSW : 1939 - 1991), 25 février, p. 10. , viewed 22 juil. 2026, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article236921192

Document topics

The Black Armada: Australia's Boycott of Dutch Ships (1945-1949)

David Gormley-…

The Black Armada was the name given to the campaign by Australian waterside workers, seamen and trade unions who, between 1945 and 1949, refused to load or service Dutch ships in support of Indonesian independence. This archive brings together contemporary newspaper reports documenting the boycott, the Esperance Bay incident, union bans, political debate, diplomatic tensions, and the growing Australian support for the Indonesian Republic. It provides a valuable collection of primary sources for readers and researchers interested in Australian and Southeast Asian history.

The 'Black Armada' - Australian boycott of Dutch ships in 1945

David Gormley-…
Australia’s relationship with Indonesia was transformed during the Second World War. Before 1942, most Australians knew little about the Netherlands East Indies or the realities of Dutch colonial rule. The arrival of thousands of Indonesians in Australia during the war, combined with labour disputes, union activism and growing support for Indonesian independence, brought Australians into direct contact with colonialism and revolution on their doorstep.
Subscribe to Australian boycott of Dutch shipping