Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) the pursuit of a woman, thus bearer-up, one who performs such a p;ursuit.

1899		H. Lawson ‘Jimmy Grimshaw’s Wooing’ in Roderick (1972) 449: Few trav’lers on those tracks but had tried ‘a bit of a bear-up’ in that direction, but all to no purpose.
1901		H. Lawson Joe Wilson & His Mates 5: She’s a regular little dumpling, and I like dumplings. They call her Possum. You ought to try a bear up in that direction, Joe.
1906		‘Steele Rudd’ On Our Selection (1964) 114: When Dad kicked Billy Bearup out of our door [...] and some days later chased him through the sliprails at the point of a loaded gun, Billy didn’t come back to see Sarah any more - at least not while Dad was about.
1947		N. Lindsay Halfway to Anywhere 100: She’s dead off blokes who do a bear-up with girls.
1947		N. Lindsay Halfway to Anywhere 202: A reckless beer boozer and bearer-up of tough tarts.
1974		D. Stuart Prince of my Country 63: Can you imagine old John doing a bear-up to a young dolly?