Bobbie the Bear is probably better known in China than it is in Australia.

The scented purple bear, a product of the Bridestowe Lavender Estate in northeastern Tasmania, is one of the island state's most successful stories.

Each year, thousands of tourists from mainland Australia and overseas flock to the 160-hectare property on the upper reaches of the Tamar Valley outside Launceston to walk through the fields of lavender.

The story behind Bobbie the Bear was described by Australia's Startup Daily as "one of the most successful case studies of a foreign brand succeeding in China".

The estate's owner, Robert Ravens, said the bear's phenomenal success in China "even caught us by surprise".

In a telephone interview from Italy, where he was on holiday with his wife, Ravens said the bear was a way of using up excess dried lavender.

The bear became a household name in China more than a decade ago, he said.

"A Chinese celebrity was photographed on social media with Bobbie the Bear ... which sparked a social media frenzy. It seemed like everyone