Hills Independent #80 February 2022 | Page 33

OUT & ABOUT

Falling for the Robertson local charm

with Scott McRae , The Travelling Guy
The Southern Highlands of New South Wales has long been regarded as a place that offers a varied range of tourist experiences . Locals are very much into showing what they refer to as ‘ God ’ s own country ’, embracing the lush scenery and gorgeous natural aspects of the region ’ s surroundings .
I must acknowledge that they make a compelling case .
Dare I say it , a pub is one of my absolute favourite places in this charming corner of the Highlands ! This isn ’ t just any local boozer we ’ re talking about . The www . robertsonpublichouse . com . au has a long and somewhat eclectic history of its own . The current owners have embraced the local feel and culture , making it a must visit for anyone passing through or making a day of surveying this earnest and inviting village on the edge of the Illawarra escarpment .
The pub affectionately known as Robbo Pub , has long been noted for its warm and friendly atmosphere . It was established in 1887 and has gone by many other names throughout the years . It ’ s not only the wonderful , upgraded pub cuisine or the ice-cold beverages that make this watering hole so appealing to me .
It is the people who run it and the customers that make it what it is . When I was there every employee I encountered was warm , polite , and interested in me as a person , not simply a customer . It wasn ’ t a phoney curiosity , though ; it was genuine , and it gave me a wonderful feeling of belonging .
The same may be true for the locals who I met - willing to give you a friendly grin , say hello , or ask you how you are going . Don ’ t be hesitant to respond ; they expect to hear from you .
Another impressive aspect of my love for Robbo and its welcome social centre are the pub ’ s owners ’ commitment to maintaining the home-grown ties .
Because the Robertson region has excellent soil , there is a fair bit of farming , and the hotel loves using as much local produce as possible . Meat , dairy , and the region ’ s cool climate wines are always sought after .
Locally brewed beers were first introduced in 2015 , when Marcelo Sa , a resident small-batch brewer , brought his Highlander Beers to the party , and they were an instant hit . Give the Pilsner a run I say !
Another local touch is Three Creeks Gin , which uses local botanicals and Robertson ’ s lovely spring water . It is , in my humble opinion , equal to any fine gin I ’ ve tried among the ever-growing varieties we see today . The recently renovated accommodation is an additional gem . I enjoy decent pub accommodation , and Robbo has four rooms in a quiet upstairs part of the hotel . Two queen rooms , a triple and a family room are tastefully

Seems we jinxed ourselves

with Ian Knowd , Hawkesbury Harvest
decorated in a country comfort style . Bring the family or have a quiet weekend . Must visits The beautiful Carrington and Belmore Falls are only seven kilometres apart in two directions . There are also several simple and easily accessible walking trails to discover .
Great coffee , the best house baked sourdough for miles , and organic local produce can be found at www . moonacres . com . au which is adjacent to the hotel .
The www . robertsoncheesefactory . com . au now has a variety of selections and is definitely worth a visit . With vintage apparel , homewares , and vinyl records , the Whey Café , Dairy Store and Cool Room Emporium will have you looking for that perfect gift .
Before you know it , Robertson will have you feeling like a local !
Scott McRae is The Travelling Guy , for more stories and travel videos visit www . thetravellingguy . com .

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS Large rock formations

Well , so much for 2022 being a breath of fresh air , and the welcome easing of worries and woes ! I made the mistake of daring to say , “ bring it on !”, and that ’ s exactly what COVID has done . It even meant our Twilight Christmas market at Castle Hill Showground had to be cancelled with thousands of people queuing for COVID tests , and the traffic in gridlock .
Despite this , our market devotees can be assured we ’ re still intending the first market of the year to be on February 12th . Given the lesson Omicron is delivering , we are on a ‘ watch and act ’ footing with our plans , so follow our market Facebook page www . facebook . com / HarvestTrailsAndMarkets for the latest updates .
Out on the Hawkesbury Trail , the stone-fruit season is drawing to a close and the apple season will be starting . There ’ ll be plenty of pick your own opportunities , but as with the market , you ’ ll need to do last minute checks with the farms before you travel to find out if they ’ re open and what COVID measures they have in place .
Fragar and other varieties of peach will still be around , and apple season kicks off with Gravenstien and Bramley cookers , along with other early
apple varieties such as Jonathon and Royal Gala . Lemons , pears , including Nashi , along with quinces , plums and persimmons , and the last of the figs should also be available .
Given keeping our fingers and toes crossed made no difference to how COVID behaves , we ’ re better off just being more determined to make things work the way we want . That means being more proactive in sourcing the latest information about what the farms have , and how they need us all to behave when visiting .
Use the Harvest Trails and Markets website to plan your visits and find the contact details of the farms you wish to visit . Follow our Facebook page at www . facebook . com / HawkesburyHarvest to get the latest updates from farms as they post them .
For more info go to www . harvesttrailsandmarkets . com . au .
by Lachlan Turner
As you descend into bushland valleys along the many walking tracks in the Hills region , the presence of large rock formations becomes quite obvious . Grey , weathered sandstone bluffs are interspersed with winderoded hollows resembling small caves .
Water too has a defining influence on the sculpturing of these rocky overhangs .
The continual breaking down of the sandstone provides much of the nutrients required by so many of the wildflowers and other plants growing in this special environment . Sandstone ridges and slopes retain rainwater and slowly release moisture through the surrounding soils , which in turn , helps to nourish vegetation .
There are many plants , such as orchids , ferns and mosses , whose roots can actually grow on the surface of the rocks , taking advantage of small cracks in which to secure a foothold . Other plants depend on the close proximity of these rocky habitats as they protect them and allow them to flourish .
The ability of large rocky formations to create a protected and cool environment enables moisture loving plants such as fungi and ground covers the opportunity to flourish in leaf litter beyond the reaches of the blazing summer sun .
Sometimes , when walking through such rocky places it is possible to be confronted with rock formations that can take on some form of recognisable shape , which could , without too much imagination , be likened to some living or imaginary creature ( see two photos ).
Next time you are out walking along tracks bordered by large rocky outcrops , test your skill by trying to identify one of these rocky features . If you are not sure , move to another position and view your find from a different direction .
THE HILLS INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 80 // FEBRUARY 2022 31