Travel & Leisure
16 August, 2026
Festival to celebrate Robertson Rainforest
Local residents will have a chance to celebrate one of the region’s most significant natural assets as part of the inaugural Robertson Rainforest Festival.
Local residents will have a chance to celebrate one of the region’s most significant natural assets as part of the inaugural Robertson Rainforest Festival.
The festival – being organised by the Roberston Environment Protection Society (REPS) – will constitute a series of events over September and October culminating in a festival fun day at the Robertson School of Arts on October 4.
Roberston Rainforest has ‘Critically Endangered’ status and forms part of the ‘Thin Green Line’ – remnants from Gondwanaland that run down the east coast of Australia from Far North Queensland to Tasmania.
Less than 20 per cent of the original Robertson Rainforest – originally referred to as Yarrawa Brush by early colonial explorers – still remains and 99 per cent of that is on private land.
The one per cent on public land forms the Robertson Nature Reserve off Missingham Parade.
“The Robertson Rainforest Festival aims to connect residents and visitors to the unique Robertson Rainforest, to share a sense of wonder about the beauty of nature and express our collective concern for the environment,” REPS secretary Fiona King said this week.
Festival events will include a REPS presentation at the Robertson CTC on Friday, September 11, providing residents with an opportunity to learn more about the rainforest and how they can nurture and grow more rainforest on their own properties.
Other events will include tours of the Young REPS polytunnel at Robertson Public School on Saturday, September 26; the official opening of the Thin Green Line Art Prize at Robertson CTC on Friday, October 2 and a movie night (‘Behind the Scenes at Native Wildlife Rescue’) on Saturday, October 3.
The community celebration on Sunday, October 4 will feature musicians, artists, poets, wildlife legends and regenerative farmers’ food stalls.
Speakers on the day will include artist Ben Quilty, ‘wombat man’ John Creighton from the Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary, poet Peter Ramm, Nicole Feggans from Jamberoo Mountain Farm and ecologist David Rush.
Besides the $500 Thin Green Line Art Prize there will also be a $500 Thin Green Line Poetry Prize with the winner to be announced on October 4. Entry forms are available online at www.robertsonctc.org.au under the ‘What’s On’ section.
Young REPS was established three years ago, with students from Robertson Public School propagating seeds and growing seedlings of precious rainforest species which they then sell and help plant.
Principal Gordon Parrish said it was about nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards.
“Young REPS empowers students with hands-on initiatives like the extraordinary polytunnel and enhances their understanding of conservation and sustainability,” Mr Parrish said.
The tours of the polytunnel on September 26 will also include a plant sale and workshops demonstrating rainforest rehabilitation.
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