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John Mystery's Adventure Castle

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Collection SummaryJohn Mystery’s Adventure Castle – the Sutherland Shire’s very own medieval fairyland – once stood on the 5-acre site on Fowlers Road at Illawong, overlooking the Georges River towards Oatley.HistoryIn 1942, Lester Sinclair bought the property on Fowlers Road at the tip of Illawong Peninsula. Over the next decade he built onto the existing stone cottage, transforming the structure into Adventure Castle, complete with turrets and flagstone paths.

Lester Sinclair was otherwise known as John Mystery: a musician, performer, and much-loved – and prolific – author of children’s stories; it is estimated that around 300–400 John Mystery titles were produced between 1938 and 1952. These publications, which include picture books for the very young through to more complicated stories and retellings of classic tales for older readers, are especially indicative of their time and are now very collectable. For Australian children growing up in the 1940s, John Mystery books offered an optimistic and cheerful diversion from the wartime setting of their childhoods and, being quite reasonably priced, were hugely popular. A particularly interesting feature of these publications are the ‘Dear Cobber’ letters which were often printed on the inside cover. In these letters John Mystery wrote personally to his young audience and frequently referred to current events and subjects. He also encouraged readers to write back to him; in exchange he would send them a packet of ‘lucky beans’ from ‘Jack’s beanstalk’. The only address his young correspondents required was ‘John Mystery, Adventure Castle, Sydney'.

In 1951, George Ilja Chapoff, a Russian-born sculptor, was tasked with completing Adventure Castle’s fairy-tale illusion by carving creatures and objects into the natural rocks and cliffs on the castle grounds: an 11 metre dragon; a Bible; a fish; and a partially completed elephant. “I would look for some semblance of shape in a rock or rock face already existing,” Chapoff told The Leader in 1971, “then I would mould along the lines using my own imagination.” Unfortunately, the designs for a giant unicorn sculpture and carvings of three witches were never realised as Lester Sinclair was forced to sell the property in 1953. The castle was then converted into flats before finally being pulled down in the 1960s.

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Mystery Castle at Illawong, ca. 1960s

Mystery Castle at Illawong

John Mystery's castle at Illawong

Mystery Castle on Fowler Road, lllawong, ca. early 1950s

Stone carvings in the grounds of Mystery House, Illawong, ca. early 1950s

Mystery Castle at Illawong, exterior views, ca. early 1950s

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PlacesIllawongSubjectsMystery Castle (House: Illawong, N.S.W.)Mystery, John -- Homes and haunts -- New South Wales -- IllawongMystery Castle, Fowlers Road, IllawongSinclair, Lester Basil

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