Bear’s Castle Tours
Bear's Castle, circa 1846, lies locked away in the catchment of the Yan Yean Reservoir. Access to this unique building is only granted on special occasions and this is one of them. Take this rare opportunity to visit the only known building of cob construction in Victoria.
Constructed c1846 for John Bear this building is a small two story structure, roughly square, occupying an area of less than 12sq m, and is built with a technique known as cob, which was popular in the builder’s home town of Devon UK. Cob is a walling construction method using clay, straw, gravel and sand.
Constructed to resemble a castle, it is thought that the building was used as a lookout for the monitoring of livestock, forest fires & bushrangers. Discover the rich history of this building and decide for yourself on the mystery surrounding the Castle’s purpose.
Tours include a trip to the Castle with a short walking distance. This is followed by a delightful morning/afternoon tea at the charming original Caretaker’s Cottage, before returning to the original starting point of the Whittlesea Courthouse.
Celebrating 50 years of the Victorian Heritage Register