Robertson, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids RobertsonNew South Wales |
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 Robertson
Location in New South Wales
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| Postcode(s) | 2577 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 731 m (2,398 ft) | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | Wingecarribee Shire | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Southern Highlands | ||||||||||||||
| County | Camden | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Yarrawa, Kangaloon | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Goulburn | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Whitlam | ||||||||||||||
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Robertson is a charming town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. It sits high up on a plateau, about 35 kilometers from the coast. Locals often call it "Robbo."
Robertson is famous for its wet weather and rich soil. This area used to be covered in thick rainforests. Most of these forests were cleared for farms, but you can still see parts of them, like the Robertson Nature Reserve.
Today, the land around Robertson is used for raising cattle for beef and dairy. Long ago, the town was known for making cheese and butter. This was because it was hard to get fresh milk to Sydney markets. You can still see an old cheese factory in town, which is now a row of shops. There's also an old butter factory building. Now, Robertson is best known for growing potatoes. It's even home to the "Big Potato," a giant landmark! The popular 1995 movie Babe was also filmed here.
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Robertson's Story: A Glimpse into the Past
Robertson got its name from Sir John Robertson. He was a former Premier of New South Wales, like a state leader. His Land Act of 1861 helped create the town. Before that, the area was known as Yarrawa Bush.
Who Lives in Robertson?
According to the 2021 census, about 2,017 people live in Robertson. In 2016, there were 1,865 people in the town and nearby areas. Most people (76.7%) were born in Australia. The next biggest group (5.6%) came from England. About 89% of people spoke only English at home.
Fun Events in Robertson
Every year in February or March, Robertson hosts the Robertson Show. A highlight of the show is "The Great Australian Potato Race," which sounds like a lot of fun!
In spring, Robertson also has a special festival. During this time, many local gardens open up for everyone to visit and enjoy their beauty.
Amazing Places to Visit in Robertson
The Historic Robertson Hotel
Robertson is home to the grand "Robertson Hotel," a popular spot for visitors and weddings. It first opened in 1924 as Hotel Robertson. It had many cool features like a golf course, tennis courts, and even a mechanic to look after guests' cars! In 1925, it won an award for being the "Most luxurious hotel in the Commonwealth." It was also the first hotel in Australia to have phones in every room.
The hotel was built to attract people from Sydney who wanted to escape the summer heat. They came to enjoy the cool climate and beautiful countryside of the Southern Highlands.
During World War II, the hotel became a training base for the WAAAF. After the war, it helped pilots who had returned home. Later, it became a college and a home for monks. During this time, beautiful stained glass windows and rock walls were added.
The hotel even has its own train platform on the Moss Vale – Unanderra line. This platform is still used today!
In 2022 and 2023, the hotel was used for the TV show The Traitors. Contestants stayed there while playing a mystery game.
Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk
On March 15, 2008, the Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk opened. It's like a path high up in the trees, giving you amazing views. It's located on the Illawarra escarpment, east of Robertson. The tree top walk connects to an observation tower where you can see all the way to Wollongong.
The Big Potato: A Giant Landmark
The Big Potato was built in 1977 by a local potato farmer named Jim Mauger. It looks like a giant Sebago potato and is about ten meters long and four meters wide. It was meant to be a potato information center, but it became too expensive. Recently, people in Robertson have worked together to turn the land around it into a park.
Getting Around Robertson
Robertson used to have a railway station on the Unanderra–Moss Vale railway line. This line is mostly used for carrying goods now. Sometimes, special heritage trains like the Cockatoo Run use the line for scenic trips.
NSW TrainLink buses travel along the Illawarra Highway. This connects the Southern Highlands to Wollongong. The Illawarra Highway goes down the steep escarpment through the Macquarie Pass.
Community Services in Robertson
The Robertson Rural Fire Brigade has been helping the community since 1939. It was formed by local people to fight big bushfires.
Special Places: Heritage Listings
Robertson has some important heritage-listed sites. One of these is the Wingecarribee Swamp, which is a special natural area.
Famous People from Robertson
Many interesting people have connections to Robertson:
- Nathan Hindmarsh and Ian Hindmarsh: Brothers and famous NRL players.
- Noeline Brown: A well-known Australian entertainer.
- Bob Dwyer: A former coach for the Australian Wallabies rugby team.
- Brett Lee: A famous Australian cricketer who owns property nearby.
- Miriam Margolyes: A British-born actress.
- Ben Quilty: An award-winning artist.
- John Waters: An English-born actor.
- Kyle Sandilands: A popular radio host.
- Emma Watkins: A former performer from The Wiggles.
- Betty Klimenko: Owner of the Erebus Motorsport V8 Supercar race team.
Images for kids
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Aerial photo with street names.
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Aerial photo from north west
