Robert Dawson (1782–1866) was a company agent and pastoralist in New South Wales in the early part of the nineteenth century.

[1] Dawson was working in England as the estate manager for Viscount Barrington's estate, Becket, when he was approached by John Macarthur junior, and old school friend, to apply for the post of chief agent in New South Wales for the newly formed Australian Agricultural Co. (AA Co.) in which he was to establish and administer a pastoral grant of 1,000,000 acres (404,686 ha) subject to a committee resident there.

The committee members and their acquaintances sold Dawson questionable sheep with foot rot and other diseases as well as older ewes that could not raise lambs.

[1] Robert Dawson had a very good relationship with the local Worimi Aboriginal people and his own staff and the convicts appointed to him as he was a man with great humility and compassion.

[4] This led to him publishing his second book, "The Present State of Australia; a Description of the Country, its Advantages and Prospects with Reference to Emigration: and a Particular Account of its Aboriginal Inhabitants".