Robertson, New South Wales

Robertson
Robertson
Coordinates: 34°35′S 150°35′E / 34.583°S 150.583°E / -34.583; 150.583
CountryAustralia
StateNew South Wales
RegionSouthern Highlands
LGA
Location
Government
 • State electorate
 • Federal division
Elevation
731 m (2,398 ft)
Population
 • Total1,476 (UCL 2021)
Postcode
2577
CountyCamden
ParishYarrawa, Kangaloon
Localities around Robertson
Kangaloon East Kangaloon Mount Murray
Burrawang Robertson Macquarie Pass
Wildes Meadow Upper Kangaroo Valley Pheasant Ground

Robertson is a town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town is located on the edge of an elevated plateau (the Illawarra escarpment) about 35 km (22 mi) from the coast.

Robertson is known for its high annual rainfall and fertile soil. It was previously covered by an extensive temperate rainforest, most of which has been cleared for farming though remnants such as Robertson Nature Reserve still exist. The town is colloquially known as "Robbo" by the locals.

The town is surrounded by lush pasture used for beef and dairy production. It was once famous for cheese production; its distance from, and poor transport to, the Sydney markets meant that in the early days fresh milk was not a viable industry and so the key dairy industries were butter and cheese. The remnants of the cheese industry are seen with one of the old cheese factories remaining in the town; it has been converted into a commercial row of shops. There is also the remnants of an old butter factory at the western end of town. Robertson is now more widely known for potato growing and is the home of the "Big Potato". The Big Potato was built in the 1970s by a local potato grower. Robertson is also where the 1995 movie Babe was filmed.