Robertson, NSW

When we’re down on the farm in the Southern Highlands, we always like to do a bit of exploring.  One town we hadn’t visited was Robertson.  Known as the ‘Green Heart of the Highlands’, I’ve been wanting to visit Robertson ever since finding out that it was the location for the film, Babe.

It's so green

It’s so green

From Mittagong, it took about 20-minutes to drive to Robertson.  Robertson is a village with a population of just over 1,200 so if you’re not paying attention you’ll drive right through it and miss all the village has to offer.  Despite this being a very little country town, we found more than enough to keep us interested for the day we were there.

Very picturesque

Very picturesque

We started at the Old Robertson Cheese Factory which is a building where a cheese factory was started by the local dairy farming community in 1936.  Today the building has all of its rustic charm yet has been converted into a series of shops and businesses while still retaining its original charm.

The Old Cheese Factory

The Old Cheese Factory

Our first stop was the cafe where we had a coffee and sat at a table where you could look across the railway line to the rolling green hills of Robertson which look just like the backdrop for the movie.

The cafe

The cafe

From the cafe we walked into the cheese shop where besides cheese, gelato is made on the premises using organic milk.  Having had a large breakfast I couldn’t manage a tub of gelato but fear not, Carl doesn’t like to pass up an opportunity and he enjoyed a very rich and dark tub of choc-hazelnut.  I would have liked to have tried the lavender.  There was lavender in full bloom all around the building and someone told me planting lavender around your home/business is good for keeping away the blowflies.

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The cheese shop

From the cheese shop we went into the antiques and old wares store that had a lot of things of interest and they all seemed very reasonably priced.  I bought some blue and white china to use, among other things, as props on my blog.

The entrance to the Old Cheese Factory

The entrance to the Old Cheese Factory

The cheese shop

The cheese shop

After the Old Cheese Factory we went back down the main road to the Light Horse Gallery.  The Gallery is housed in a cute weatherboard building dating back to the 1880’s.  The name for the gallery comes from the fact the building was originally used as a drill hall for the Light Horse Brigade.  The gallery has some wonderful works of art on display including some works by Albert Namatjira‘s son, Oscar.  The owner even has her very friendly dog with her who loves a pat.

The Light Horse Gallery

The Light Horse Gallery

The owner of the gallery told us where Babe was filmed so we crossed over the railway line and headed down into Babe-country.  Robertson is every bit as beautiful as it is in the movie with it’s stunning hills and green pastures.  It’s not the typical farmland you see in New South Wales and actually, with the hills and how green it is, reminded me more of New Zealand.

Cross over the railway line and you're in Babe-country

Cross over the railway line and you’re in Babe-country

After exploring Babe-country we visited Belmore Falls.  There are lots of waterfalls in Robertson but we only visited the Belmore Falls.  These are a short drive from the centre of the village and about 10kms are along a narrow dirt road.  When you arrive at the car park there’s just a short walk down to the Falls that have an incredible view of Kangaroo Valley.  The falls are significant with the water cascading into several green pools as it moves down into the valley.  There is a remnant of a rainforest in the valley where there are over 60 species of eucalypt trees (it pays to listen in on other people’s group tours!)

Belmore Falls

Belmore Falls

Robertson is a beautiful village that’s steeped in Australian history and carries much of the charm of a bygone era.  It’s definitely worth visiting not only for its stunning scenery but also for its shops, cafes and businesses that are full of appeal and items of interest.

Local real estate office

Local real estate office

I’ve heard that one of the best times to be in Robertson is when the town hosts its annual fair.  The 132nd Robertson Show will be on March 6th and 7th and I’ve been told it is one of the most authentic country shows you can find.  There’s everything from potato races, hay stacking, a Robo red-neck relay challenge, wheelbarrow races and a pie-eating competition.  I would love to take my little guy to an authentic country fair and so hope to make it to Robertson for next year’s event.

Babe-country

Babe-country

Robertson, NSW:  On the Illawarra Highway, NSW

An old building next to the Cheese Factory

An old building next to the Cheese Factory

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Comments

  1. Oh Charlie, if you ever get to go back to the Old Cheese Factory they make the best Devonshire Tea, their scones with king Island cream and home made berry jam was the best I have tried! It is such a wonderful little place, glad you got to experience it! Liz x

  2. Must get there one day- it looks beatiful and quite lush.

  3. We’re always looking for great places to do road trips to. This looks like a lovely place to visit!

  4. What a beautiful place to visit! Such a pity I am half way across the world from it.
    Have a happy Monday. 🙂 xo

  5. What a lovely place! That gelato sounds divine and good to know about the lavender!

  6. What a charming little village that’s so steeped in Australian history and carries much of the charm of a bygone era I am sure your little guy will have a grand time at the country fair, looking forward to reading about it in March.

  7. What are blowflies? I had no idea Babe was filmed in Australia. Your day trip looks fantastic, I love little adventures like that. The fair sounds like it’ll be wonderful too, can’t wait to be in that adventure with you too. Selfie sure is fortunate to have a Mom like you!

  8. This is a charming little village, Charlie. “Babe Country” is certainly lush and green! And those falls are really gorgeous! You’ll have to return sometime when you aren’t full from breakfast, and try that gelato!

  9. This looks like the kind of town we love to visit on our trips. It has something for everyone and it’s just beautiful. It looks like you guys have enjoyed a wonderful trip to the Southern Highlands. I love to getaway to the country and now you have me wanting to hop in the car and drive. Unfortunately, the kids might be concerned to find me missing when they get home from school. Perhaps another day…

  10. How beautiful! And I loved the movie Babe.

  11. What a delightful town! I’d love to spend a day or two and enjoy it at my leisure. The Fair sounds like so much fun. 🙂

  12. The scenery is really lovely. Green hills, my favorite view!

  13. A beautiful part of the world, Charlie… love Robertson… and the Old Cheese Factory… but the cafe has gone downhill in recent months! Such a pity, as they are in a fabulous location. The bric a brac store is the best!

  14. It looks very pretty indeed Charlie. I just love the movie Babe, maybe I’ll force littlej to watch it with me this afternoon 🙂 xox

  15. G’day! Love exploring the Southern Highlands Charlie and yes, when next at the cafe, got my vote for Devonshire tea!
    Look forward to seeing your plate as a prop and your blog post today brightened me!
    Cheers! Joanne

  16. It is amazing all the little treasures you might miss in life if you don’t keep your eyes open. A wee little city with some very delicious offerings. I am sure the cheese and gelato was amazing.

  17. Now here’s a little known fact from the ShenANNAgans files – my uncle Jim was a pig trainer on Babe – he fell in love with the pigs so much he found them homes for their “retirement” 🙂 Robertson looks like a lovely road trip destination for sure.

    • Love that little known fact, Anna. And how lovely that Jim found retirement homes for the pigs – they certainly didn’t deserve to be rounded up and given the death sentence xx

  18. Oh yes, I’d love to see most authentic country fair. How cool this place was the location for Babe! Hope you will go back and share the pictures when you go! Such a beautiful place. Looking at your photos made me even relaxed a bit. I love to be surrounded by the green (actually more than ocean) and I could totally retire in the country (or that’s what I think… Napa wine country would be my dream than any beach towns). Love visiting small local shops too. Had fun traveling with you through the post!

  19. It really is so green – it looks like England! The architecture and those falls are definitely Australian though – what a gorgeous part of NSW. It sounds like a lovely outing.

  20. You find the most beautiful places Charlie!

  21. i there at the beginning of the year during new years and everything was closed, i must return!

  22. love the photos charlie. everything looks so lush and green.

  23. After reading about the pie shop I think I would stick to this part of the town – sounds more interesting – and I loved Babe – hopefully I could find a decent meal at the cheese shop (did you think of monty python?)

  24. It would be hard to pull me out of such a cheese shop. I, too, had no idea that Babe was filmed in Australia. What lovely countryside.

  25. I want to go to babe country! I thought that was in Queensland. Who knew? 🙂 Lucky you to see such beauty.

  26. I really enjoy touring little towns like that while traveling! So many have such unique and interesting history and shops.

  27. Wonderful.I’d love to be there.

Trackbacks

  1. […] the main street we didn’t see anything that looked like a pie shop.  But then a lady at the Old Cheese Factory told us that you drive for a couple of kilometres out of town and then you find […]

  2. […] new blue plates and bowls that I bought from an old wares store that we visited when we were in Robertson.  I’ve had them for a few weeks and they’ve already been very well […]

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