Highlands Living
The Big Potato, a large roadside potato sculpture in Robertson that celebrates the district's potato-growing history
Photo: Celcom (English Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0

East Highlands · village

Robertson

Green, misty escarpment country with a famous pub.

Population2,0172021 Census
WalkabilityEditorial rating
Dining ≈800 m1listed venues, straight-line
TrainNoneSouthern Highlands Line
Indicative 3-bed$1.2m–$1.6mEstimate · see guide

Robertson sits high on the Illawarra escarpment, where the rain falls generously and the paddocks stay an improbable green. It’s close to the coast, Belmore Falls and some of the region’s best country drives.

Character & atmosphere

Rich red soil and high rainfall make this lush dairy and potato country — the village is home to the Big Potato, and the 1995 film Babe was shot in and around it. Robertson Nature Reserve protects a remnant of the rainforest that once covered the area. The 1924 Robertson Hotel is a local landmark.

Cafés & dining

A handful of cafés, a bakery and the historic hotel, with Burrawang’s pub a short drive away.

Getting about on foot

The village strip along Hoddle Street is short and walkable. For larger shopping, drive to Moss Vale or Bowral.

Community & lifestyle

A tight-knit farming village, about 35 km from the coast — handy for beach days in Kiama and the Illawarra.

Homes & land

Weatherboard cottages and older homes in the village, with acreage and farm properties all around.

In the village

Typical land: standard village blocks

Homes within the village itself — the easiest for walking to cafés and shops.

Surrounding rural area

Typical land: small acreage to working farms on the escarpment

Green dairy and potato country, with rainforest gullies and escarpment views towards the coast.

Indicative estimate: a well-presented 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home in or near the village is estimated at around $1.2m–$1.6m. This is an estimate, not sales data. Adjust for pool, bedrooms and budget →

Why people love it

  • Lush, green landscape year-round
  • Close to the coast, Belmore Falls and Fitzroy Falls
  • Strong village identity
  • More affordable than central villages

Worth knowing

  • Wetter and mistier than the rest of the Highlands
  • No passenger train service
  • Limited shopping in the village

Walk to dinner

1 place within ≈1 km of Robertson post office

Approximate straight-line distances from the village centre (Robertson post office). Walking times assume streets add about a quarter to the distance at an easy pace. These are not verified walking routes, and only venues listed in this guide are counted.

Nearby

See on the map
NatureRobertson Nature ReserveSmall remnant of Yarrawa Brush rainforest in Robertson with an easy, wheelchair-friendly loop walk.≈400 m from the centreNatureBelmore Falls LookoutEscarpment lookouts over Belmore Falls and Kangaroo Valley, reached by a short Morton NP walk.≈6.9 km from the centreNatureFitzroy Falls Visitor Centre (Morton National Park)NPWS visitor centre beside an 80 m waterfall, with a boardwalk to lookouts and rim walking tracks.≈12 km from the centreAttractionNgununggula (Southern Highlands Regional Gallery)Free regional art gallery in the grounds of National Trust-owned Retford Park, East Bowral.≈17 km from the centreAttractionBradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of FameCricket museum and Hall of Fame beside Bradman Oval, where Don Bradman played as a boy.≈20 km from the centreNatureMount Gibraltar Heritage Reserve (Bowral Lookout)Heritage-listed bushland reserve above Bowral with picnic lookouts and old trachyte quarry walks.≈20 km from the centre

Facts & sources

  • Sits on the edge of the Illawarra escarpment, about 35 km from the coast, in an area known for high rainfall and rich red soil. Source
  • The 1995 film Babe was shot in and around Robertson. Source
  • Robertson Nature Reserve protects a remnant of the area's original rainforest, with a walking track. Source
  • The heritage railway station is on the Unanderra–Moss Vale line, with no regular passenger service. Source

Descriptive sections are an editorial overview and are still being reviewed.

See how Robertson compares

Compare villagesBowralMoss ValeMittagong