[1] He emigrated to South Australia in September 1839 on the Lady Lilford, and promptly took up grazing pursuits, being a pioneer settler at Inman Valley.

That triggered the Rufus River massacre: he participated in killing at least 30 Aborigines, and was speared in his left arm.

[1] He there became a close associate of fellow pastoralist John Jackson Oakden who, like Robinson, was later to move to New Zealand.

While Robinson’s claim was not legal, the acceptance of his deposit by validated it, despite the regulations expiring the next month, without full payment.

This allowed Robinson to obtain claim title to the flats and best portions of the massive Cheviot Hills from under the nose of the existing crown lease holder, John Scott Caverhill (1820–1897).

William James Gardner, in his book A Pastoral Kingdom Divided, said that this "was probably the largest and most spectacular transaction of the kind ever undertaken in New Zealand".

Among the many horses with which he had wins in New Zealand were Disowned, Cheviot Grip, Foul Play, Liverpool, Natator, Nonsense, Oudeis, Salvage, Silver Prince and Vanguard.

He struck at her head, but a backward movement so diverted the blow that it fell upon her face and chest, which caused Murray to fall to the floor.

In her book Ready Money, Robinson's great-granddaughter states that for the summer of 1870/71, they had rented the house of Frederick Weld on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Montreal Street.

[23] At the time of his death while Cheviot Hills valued for property tax purposes at £304,826 it was encumbered with a large debt to the Union Bank of Australia.

[24][1] After his death, in order to prevent family disputes his son-in-law Francis Bell sold the estate land on behalf of Robinson’s daughters to the government for £260,223 in 1893.