Tim Robertson, the English-born Australian actor whose rugged versatility made him a fixture of the country's stage and screen for over five decades, died on January 2, 2026. He was 81. A towering presence in the Australian performing arts, Robertson passed away in Sydney following a period of declining health. He is best remembered for his ability to embody authority figures with a mix of menace and charm, a skill that kept him in constant demand throughout the golden era of Australian cinema and beyond.

Born in Essex in 1944, Robertson migrated to Australia in 1952. He began his career in the theatre, becoming a key figure in the experimental 'New Wave' of Australian theatre in the 1970s at Melbourne's La Mama and The Pram Factory. He quickly transitioned to film, delivering memorable performances in seminal works such as Fred Schepisi's 'The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith' (1978) and the film adaptation of the play 'Dimboola' (1979), where he played Father O'Shea. His television credits were equally extensive, ranging from the role of Arthur West in the award-winning miniseries 'Power Without Glory' to the cult hit 'Prisoner'.

Robertson gained a new legion of fans in the 1990s through his work on television, most notably as a series regular in the police drama 'Stingers.' He remained active well into the 21st century, bringing gravitas to films like 'The Eye of the Storm' (2011) alongside Geoffrey Rush. He was also a historian of the arts, publishing a history of the Pram Factory theatre collective in 2001. Tributes from colleagues have described him as an 'actor's actor'—a man who treated the craft with deep respect but never lost his rebellious spirit.