The 22-year-old was a regular at the facility nigh on every summer growing up, fishing and water skiing in the man-made reservoir, the base for this week’s NSW Waratahs pre-season camp.

Robertson, one of the most exciting young props in the game, will be in Dubbo on Friday as the headline act for the Tahs’ Macquarie Junior Clinic at 10am and is relishing being back in the bush leading into Saturday’s trial against the ACT Brumbies at Glen Willow.

“(The boys have) been asking me if I’ve ever been out this way,” Robertson said, also recalling a 2007 camp for a Central West under 14s rep side a decade ago.

“Every weekend in summer we used to come out here water skiing and stuff like that, there’s very fond memories out here … it wasn’t this hot most of the time we came out here though.

“I think the boys are adjusting to it though.”

The 37-man Waratahs squad has endured a string of days exceeding 35 degrees Celcius while in the central west – that won’t change for Saturday’s trial either.

The mercury is set to tap 38 degrees during the lead-up to the 6pm kick-off against the ACT Brumbies at Glen Willow.

Robertson’s not too worried though, in fact such distressing conditions are ideal for a Tahs squad looking to forge strong bonds leading into what they hope will be a big 2017 season.

“I think the game is three 30-minute thirds. I’m starting the first third, I hope, that’s how it’s looked at training,” he said.

“I’d love to get as much time as I can. The whole family is coming out so it’d be good to get as many minutes as I could.”

Robertson enjoyed a huge year in 2016, finishing with him making his Wallabies debut off the bench against Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

The prop has played 13 Super Rugby matches heading into the 2017 season while he will be keen on another big campaign in order to add to his six Wallabies caps.

Staking a claim for a starting spot begins this weekend and while team bonding is the main goal for the week-long trip to the region, Robertson believes the Lake Burrendong camp – and clinics held in Orange, Bathurst and Dubbo – will prove pivotal in his side’s Super Rugby campaign.

“Team moral and building those relationships … when it comes to the heated moments in the game we can rely on each other, that’s what we’re building and Daryl Gibson has a big part to play in that,” he said.

The Waratahs take on the Bumbies from 6pm in Saturday’s Super Rugby trial at Glen Willow.