Early 1950 John left his birthplace Enschede to start a new life at the other side of the globe. A carpenter by trade, he had no trouble starting to build his own home, finance and time were the main obstacles. His wife Jetty and four children were still in The Netherlands, waiting for the day that he made enough progress with his project, to let them join him. During the week he had a job at Rocla Pipes in Springvale, and slept in a chicken shed on Cornelissen farm in Westall Road, where many other Dutchmen had found shelter for the time being, the occupants had literally to bend down to enter. When enough saved he bought some timber and worked on his weatherboard house during the weekends and the long summer evenings. It didn't take that long and the family was united again, as this photo shows, from left: his sons Leo, Hans and daughter Anneke.