Searching for Wouter: The Story of Australia's First White Settler

by Jan Andersen

150 years before Captain Cook and the first fleet arrive in 1788 at Botany Bay, Dutch settlers began populating the other side of the Australian continent. The first of these was Wouter Loos, a young Dutch soldier, put ashore in 1629 at Hutt River in Western Australia, for his part in the mutiny of the Dutch retourship, The Batavia. There the history ends. No one knows what became of him.

This story tells of Wouter's life among the indigenous community where he fathers a son. He is later joined by other Dutch who have come ashore from shipwrecks. Wouter's story weaves its way through Australian history up to the present day, meeting up with historic characters and events. Finally, in the modern age, an attempt is made to finally locate his remains and tell his story.

This novel blends historical research and imagination to complete the story of Australia's very first white settler.

260 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2026

About the author

Lifelong writer, since age 13.
Bachelor of Arts (Monash)
Masters of Creative Writing (Macquarie)