Strong bonds: The Voogt family came to Seymour from all over Australia to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Harry and Antonia’s arrival in Australia with their children. Photo: Tracy Bohlmann
November 3, 1953, was just another Melbourne Cup day for many, but for the Voogt family, it was the start of a new chapter.
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That was the day Hendrikus Johannes and Antonia Maria Josephina Voogt, together with their 11 children, arrived in Melbourne.
Their son Eddie Voogt said his parents’ decision to move from Poland was because Hendrikus, also known as Harry, had already been to two world wars.
“At the time also, you had this tension in Europe about the Berlin Wall,” Eddie said.
“The other factor was that one of his daughters had gone to Australia.”
The idea was to reunite the family as far from the battlefields of Europe as possible.
Eldest daughter Margaret was the first of the family to come to Australia with her husband John Claassen. The couple made a home for themselves in Tallarook.
Eddie said his parents did not come to Australia as paupers, but they lived like they were.
The family lived in a homestead called ‘Marengo Vale’, 10km from Seymour, fronting the Goulburn River.
“The situation that we found ourselves in the first few months in that homestead was traumatic,” Eddie said.
Siblings: The last surviving children of Harry and Antonia Voogt are (from left) Eddie Voogt, Louise Cannon, Therese Bohlmann, Josie Gruneklee, Ricky Siep and Harry Voogt, who gathered at the family reunion. Photo: Tracy Bohlmann
“The homestead was badly in need of renovation and lacked all the basic necessities one takes for granted.”
It was a challenging renovation to make the property feel like home, but the Voogts eventually settled in with the help of cousins from Melbourne.
Over the years, Harry and Antonia endured two misfortunes.
First was the sudden death of their second eldest daughter, Annie, in April 1954.
The second was a car accident involving six family members which left some in hospital.
“Harry bought a residence in Seymour soon after the accident,” Eddie said.
The family has since grown quite a bit — Harry and Antonia’s descendants now total 271, comprising 12 children, 47 grandchildren, 107 great-grandchildren and 105 great-great-grandchildren.
About 150 descendants travelled to Seymour from all around Victoria and places as far as Hervey Bay, Brisbane and Tasmania to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Voogts’ arrival in Australia.
Eddie said seeing so many of the family on Saturday, November 4, was lovely.
“Personally, I haven’t seen some of the nephews and nieces for a long time,” he said.
“It was just beautiful to meet those that I knew came from far away.“
The last time the Voogt family had a reunion was in 2003.
Eddie said the remaining siblings were getting old, with the most senior now 87, so the 70th reunion was very special.
“Now the younger descendants are talking about organising the next reunion,” he said.
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