The two countries communicate and cooperate on a range of issues, including counterterrorism, climate change, human rights, and the Millennium Development Goals.

[3] The first ship and crew to chart the Australian coast and meet with Aboriginal people was the Duyfken captained by Dutch navigator, Willem Janszoon.

[4] The Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines and named the island continent "New Holland" during the 17th century, but made no attempt at settlement.

During and immediately post the second world war, the Netherlands East Indies government-in-exile, was stationed in Wacol, Queensland, and the Netherlands Indies Government Information Service in Melbourne, with the agreement of the then Labor Australian government.

[6] Historically, diplomatic issues have arisen over West New Guinea,[7] and Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands (with Australia recognising the Indonesian Republic on 9 July 1947).