Tucked away right near Audley is the short but steep Robertsons Roundabout Lookout Track (also known as Robertson Knoll) which rewards you with stunning views over Audley Weird and the Hacking River.
The view is slightly obscured by trees but if you stand up tall you can see the river quite well.
Being so close to Audley and being relatively short this is a great walk for families with kids. The large elevation gives you a good workout and there are rocky stairs almost all the way making it relatively safe to walk up.
If you’re in the area and want a little adventure to a nice lookout then I highly suggest Robertsons Roundabout Lookout Track.
However, this track isn’t so amazing that I would go out of my way to do it. There are much nicer tracks in the Royal National Park that I would recommend over this one.
Robertsons Roundabout/Knoll Key Information
Distance: 1.8 km (Round Trip)
Elevation: 117 metres
Difficulty: Medium (High elevation)
Opening Times: All year
Entrance Fee: Royal National Park Entry Fees Apply – See Full Details
Facilities Nearby:
- Toilets at Currawong Flat
- Cafe at Audley
- Kayak Hire at Allambie Flat
Potential Hazards:
- Lots of elevation
Where Is Robertson Roundabout (Map)
Robertsons Roundabout and Lookout is located near Audley on the other side of the river.
You can park at Currawong Flat Car Park or walk to the start of the track from Audley.
Alternatively Robertson’s Roundabout/Knoll also connects up with Engadine Track and Uloola Falls track if you are hiking from further away and coming to the national park by public transport.
Click here to see Robertsons Roundabout on Google Maps
Click here to see Robertsons Roundabout on Apple Maps
Robertsons Roundabout Direction Summary (SCREENSHOT OR PRINT)
Screenshot or print the below directions if you want to have them on you whilst doing this trail.
- Park at Currawong Flat Car Park
- Walk 50-100 metres to the start of Robertsons Roundabout Trail
- At the first intersection turn left to do the clockwise route (recommended) or right to do the anti-clockwise route
- At the second intersection turn right to go to the little lookout or turn left (heading slightly downhill) to continue on to Robertson’s Roundabout Lookout
- At the third lookout turn right to head towards Robertson’s Roundabout Lookout
- You will quickly reach the lookout
- After reaching the lookout continue to the right to head back to the starting location.
Start Of The Track
The start of Robinson’s Roundabout track is pretty easy to find.
Simply park and Currawong Flat and walk north past the toilet bocks and you’ll see a big sign to Robertson’s Roundabout on your left.
Right next to the sign are some stairs up that are slightly overgrown and gives this lovely feel.
But get ready because there are A LOT more stairs to come.
Stairs, Stairs and More Stairs
If I had to describe Robinson’s Roundabout in 3 words it would be this
Stairs, stairs, stairs
Basically the entire journey is stairs up to the lookout with some flatter sections in between.
It’ll give you a good workout and the stony steps are really nice and so is the surrounding bushland.
But I think I expected less stairs and an easier walk so I was puffed by the end of it.
The First Intersection (Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise)
After the first set of stairs you’ll reach an intersection with a Robertson’s Roundabout sign.
There is no sign here to the lookout per say but both directions will lead you to the lookout.
I recommend going left here and taking the clockwise route to the lookout as this will send you past another little lookout on the way.
However, if you want to save a couple of hundred metres, or you just want to experience it in a different direction, then turn right here instead.
The choice is really yours and it ultimately doesn’t matter which way you’ll go as they both lead to the lookout.
The Second Intersection (Little Lookout)
Assuming you’ve turned left at the first intersection and are doing the clockwise route the next intersection you’ll reach has no signage at all.
There’s a path that juts off the the right and one on the left that leads downhill.
The right path is an out and back path that leads to a smaller lookout – which I’m calling Little Lookout.
It’s a short path of just 50-100 metres so it’s worth doing and it’ll bring you back to this spot anyway.
However, the view is similar to what you’ll get at Robinson’s Lookout anyway (just not as good) so if you want to skip it you’re not missing much.
But if you want to save your legs or you’ve gone to Little Lookout and now made your way back you’ll want to take the path to the left that leads slightly downhill.
This path will take you to Robertson’s Roundabout Lookout.
The Third Intersection
The third and last section you reach is a T junction where you can either turn left or right.
There is a sign here that is quite unhelpful as it just tells you to go left for Uloola Falls, Heathcote and Waterfall. There is no signage to Robertson’s Roundabout Lookout.
However, if you turn right at this intersection it’ll lead you directly to the lookout and it’s not very far from this location.
What Robertson’s Roundabout Lookout Is Like
Robertson’s Roundabout is a nice little lookout with a large rocky area to sit down and enjoy a well earned rest and a drink of water and maybe even a snack.
A lot of the lookout is covered by trees so you need to get to one specific spot on the rocks in order to see the Hacking River and Audley Weir.
If you want down to where I am in the photo above you actually lose the view of the river so you need to stay higher on the rocks to maintain the view.
Adults might need to lift kids up so they can really take it all in.
However, the view is quite incredible and very pretty. Given it’s just 1km from Audley it’s crazy how far away the Audley Weir looks.
Other Great Spots Near Robinson’s Roundabout
Robinson’s Roundabout is a nice little walk and fun to do if you’re in the area.
But it’s not my favourite walk in the national park and it’s also not my favourite view in the national park.
If you’re in the area and looking for some great places to explore then check out a few of the closeby options below:
Audley
Audley is the crowning pearl of the Royal National Park and one of the most popular spots in the entire park.
It features an abundance of beautiful picnic lawns spread out across the river, picnic tables, public barbeques, bike racks, eco-friendly bathrooms and kayak and canoe hire.
The Weir Cafe is open 7 days a week from 8am and serves breakfast and lunch and a variety of takeaway options. If you need a coffee in the national park this is the spot to go.
Upstairs there is the Audley Room which runs high-teas on weekends.
Overall Audley is a fantastic place to spend a few hours or an entire day relaxing by the river and enjoying the serenity of the Royal National Park.
Lady Carington Drive
Lady Carington Drive is a histroy cycling and walking track and offers some of the best of what the Royal National Park has to offer.
Step into another world and be surrounded by luscious forest. This track follows the Hacking River and is a 1-2 hour bike ride or approximately 2-3 hour walk each way. Ideally you want to organise a car or shuttle at the other end so you don’t have to walk back.
It was one of the first tracks ever created in the national park and remains one of it’s most popular tracks for good reason.
There are 3 picnic areas along the track as well as tracks that shoot off to Palona Cave and Waterfall as well as The Forest Path.
If you’ve never done this walk before in the Royal National Park I can’t recommend it enough.
Read my Lady Carington Drive Complete Walking Guide
Winifred Falls
One of the most popular and beautiful waterfalls in the Royal National Park, Winifred Falls is just a short 1.5 km hike and a beautiful location to visit especially after there has been some rainfall.
The waterfall flows all year around and is a great place to cool off in summer or to sit and enjoy some lunch at the top of the falls.
Park off Warumbul Road and access the falls via the Winifred Falls Fire Trail.
If you have it in you continue down the river to South West Arm Pool which is another great swimming hole.
Read my Winifred Falls Completel Walking Guide
Bungoona Lookout
Bungoona Lookout is a wheelchair accessible track that leads to (in my opinion) the best lookout spot in all of the Royal National Park.
It overlooks the Hacking River facing south and it breathtaking.
The short 1km return path to the lookout is flat and paved the entire way and contains multiple seating areas. forthose who need to rest along the way. It only takes 5-10 minutes to walk each way and the view is totally worth it.
The large car park at the start of the track also features wheelchair accessible toilets making it the perfect little toilet stop when heading into or out of different trails in the Royal National Park.
Read my Bungoona Lookout Wheelchair Accessible Walking Guide
