Robertson Nature Reserve
Overview
Only a short drive from Moss Vale and Wollongong, Robertson Nature Reserve offers a tranquil getaway with walking tracks, birdwatching and historic rainforest to discover.
Read more about Robertson Nature Reserve
Just a short drive from Moss Vale and Wollongong near the edge of the Illawarra Escarpment, Robertson Nature Reserve is a tiny reserve packed with natural wonders to delight the whole family.
Just a few footsteps from the car and you’ll find yourself surrounded by this rare remnant of dense Yarrawa Brush rainforest, which once covered the entire surrounding area.
Wander under the shady tree canopy, step over moss-covered roots and mottled tree trunks. Listen for the whip crack call of the eastern whipbird, or the sounds of a short-beaked echidna scurrying along the rainforest floor – this special place is great for wildlife-spotting and birdwatching.
Stroll through the rainforest on the wheelchair-friendly Rainforest walking track, then enjoy a leisurely picnic lunch.
You can visit the park as a day trip from Sydney, or spend the weekend and stay at one of the many accommodation options in the charming township of Robertson.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/robertson-nature-reserve/local-alerts
Contact
- in the Country NSW region
Robertson Nature Reserve is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre
02 4887 8270
Contact hours: 9am to 4pm daily. Closed Christmas Day. - 1301 Nowra Road, Fitzroy Falls NSW 2577
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Email: FitzroyFalls.VisitorCentre@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Robertson Nature Reserve.
Map
Map legend
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
From Moss Vale:
- Travel east along Illawarra Highway towards Robertson
- Once in the township of Robertson, turn right onto Meryla Street.
- Follow to the end then turn left onto South Street
- Continue until you see the sign on your right
From Wollongong:
- Travel west along Illawarra Highway towards Robertson
- Once in the township of Robertson, turn left onto Meryla Street.
- Follow to the end then turn left onto South Street
- Continue until you see the sign on your right
By bike
Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.
By public transport
For information about public transport options to Robertson, visit the NSW country transport info website.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Robertson Nature Reserve. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
Breathe in the crisp fresh air as you walk through the dense rainforest.
Spring
Take a short stroll through the rainforest and discover its ancient secrets.
Summer
Escape the crowded beaches and enjoy cool temperatures under the rainforest canopy.
Winter
Rug up and experience the beauty of the misty rainforest in winter.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
11°C and 26°C
Highest recorded
25.5°C
Winter temperature
Average
2°C and 14°C
Lowest recorded
2.2°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
February
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
549.7mm
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Nearby towns
Robertson (1 km)
Robertson is known as the 'green heart of the Highlands' for a good reason - it's always green. Rich, fertile soil and abundant rural farmland make up Robertson's scenic landscape. It serves as a gateway to some of the State's best waterfalls.
Moss Vale (22 km)
Moss Vale is the rural centre of the Southern Highlands, with its regional livestock saleyards, farmers market and agricultural show. The meandering tree-lined main street and lush gardens make it one of the most picturesque towns in the region.
Bowral (26 km)
Spring is tulip time while summer has fragrant roses and autumn, flowering bulbs. Bowral Tulip Festival runs from the end of September until early October; the Autumn Garden Festival is held in May.
Learn more
Robertson Nature Reserve is a special place. Here are just some of the reasons why:
Natural wonders
Robertson Nature Reserve is a tiny 5.3ha reserve, but it’s packed with natural wonders. It conserves one of the largest and least disturbed areas of rainforest remaining from the Yarrawa Brush. Step inside this dense cool or warm temperate rainforest and you’ll find unique shrubs, soft tree ferns, numerous vines and intricate fungi. Look up into the canopy at trees like sassafras, featherwood, coachwood and possum wood. Watch for the flashes of crimson rosellas darting through the trees or listen for the whip crack call of the eastern whipbird.
- Rainforest walking track An easy walk along Rainforest walking track in Robertson Nature Reserve, near Wollongong, is the perfect way to recharge the batteries. Stroll under the rainforest canopy and enjoy birdwatching and wildlife spotting along the way.
Historic rainforest
The dense rainforest you’ll find at Robertson Nature Reserve once covered 2500ha of the red basalt soil area around Robertson. The Yarrawa Brush, or ‘Brush’, as it was called by the early explorers who were trying to forge a route from the highlands to the coast, was first penetrated by Charles Throsby in 1817. However, the area was not significantly cleared until the 1860s, when settlement around Robertson began. But by the early 1900s, more than 80 per cent of the Yarrawa Brush was gone. Today, only about 500ha of fragmented patches survive, making Robertson Nature Reserve a special window into the past as well as an important place for conservation.
Education resources (1)
What we're doing
Robertson Nature Reserve has management strategies in place to protect and conserve the values of this park. Visit the OEH website for detailed park and fire management documents.