Valentine’s Day milestone: Inside Walter Taylor Bridge connecting Indooroopilly to Chelmer

It’s the Brisbane bridge you can live in – well, you could have for 50 years, until recently – but it has gained many more memories and stories in its 87 years. See inside the city’s quirkiest apartment.

On the end of a suspension bridge connecting Indooroopilly to Chelmer is perhaps one of Brisbane’s quirkiest buildings.

A route that many travel pass daily, the Walter Taylor Bridge was once also a home for multiple families from the 1960s until 2010.

Many memories have been shared since the bridge opened 87 years ago from those who once lived in the structure.

Filled with a rich history, the last of those who lived in the bridge was a 300kg man related to the original toll master.

He moved after a crane was needed to lift him out while he was suffering from a medical condition.

This was the end of people living in the Walter Taylor Bridge but it wasn’t the end of the stories being told.

In 2012, the Brisbane Greeters – or volunteers – started conducting tours of the Indooroopilly side of the bridge.

Construction of the bridge began in 1932, Walter Taylor was the man who won a bid he put on the bridge and was the designer, engineer and contractor behind it.

The bridge was opened on Valentine’s Day in 1936, leading to many intriguing stories for the Green family.

The original toll master, Mort Green, moved into the Indooroopilly side of the building while his son Ron moved into the Chelmer side.

The kitchen and living room inside the Walter Taylor Bridge. Picture: Liam Kidston

In 1965, the last toll ticket was issued and Mort retired, while his son moved into the Indooroopilly side of the building with his six children and wife.

With three bedrooms, one bathroom and a bridge as the view, the family got up to a lot of mischief.

In an interview conducted by Brisbane Greeter Blair Allsopp, one of Ron Green’s daughters said it was an interesting experience.

“Living on the bridge was a unique experience,” she said.

“Our front door was never locked as it faced towards the toll bridge which was manned 24 hours a day.

“It was like having our own entry guards. The ticket sellers became our friends.”

The building itself is fitted with narrow stairs with a kitchen, living room and three bedrooms, all on one level.

A bedroom inside the former Green house. Picture: Liam Kidston

“My lasting memories are of the 52 steps that we climbed every day and sliding down the banisters on our tummies, of flapping in the wind on the balcony, the sound of trains travelling across the railway,” she said.

Brisbane greeter Alison Muirhead said the Green family lived in the building rent-free until 2009.

DRUNK MAN CLIMBS BRIDGE

Over the years, the bridge has been home to many stories, but one of the craziest Ms Muirhead heard about was the time a man climbed the bridge while drunk.

Brisbane Greeter Alison Muirhead during a tour of the Walter Taylor Bridge, Indooroopilly. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Most people think of the bridge as that place where there was washing hanging out on the line,” she said.

“At one stage, a university student, obviously drunk, went from the top of that pile and climbed along the suspension to the Indooroopilly side and then was too scared to get down.
“The Greens had to call in the police to get him down and that was the only time that the security of this side of the bridge was breached.”

KIDS THROW THINGS OFF BRIDGE

Ms Muirhead said while the Green kids were living in the bridge, many objects had been thrown from the balcony into the cars driving past.

The Walter Taylor Bridge, Indooroopilly, was opened on Valentine’s Day in 1936. Picture: Liam Kidston

Sunday night was the night the kids would throw super balls from the balcony.

On another occasion, Ms Muirhead said a young girl who lived in the building for a little while also got into the habit of throwing things off the bridge.

“She invented ‘the man with green blood’ and it scared the wits out of the Green kids,” she said.

“But one day they found out from the toll booth that someone was throwing eggs down to the cars below and that was this particular young lady.”

HELICOPTER FLOWN UNDER BRIDGE

Historian Harold Peacock, discovered that a young pilot named Jack Moran had flown a helicopter just for fun under the bridge.

Tour of the Walter Taylor Bridge, Indooroopilly. Picture: Liam Kidston

”Harold Peacock interviewed his family because he’d heard whispers of it,” Ms Muirhead said.

“But he hadn’t been able to actually get some facts because it was never reported in the newspapers.”

After speaking to the family, Mr Peacock found out Mr Moran flew his Tiger Moth biplane under the bridge with just wheels touching the water.

FINAL GREEN DESCENDANT GETS PULLED OUT WITH CRANE

Up until 2009, two of Ron Green’s sons were living in the Indooroopilly side building.

In August 2009, one of the men weighing 300kg was trapped on one of the upper levels needing to be taken to hospital because of a medical condition.

Emergency services rushed to open a 1m-wide window in the apartment to lift the man using a crane.

The man was lowered to safety and taken to the hospital by ambulance.

After the incident, the remaining two brothers moved out of the home.

Since then, Ms Muirhead said several family members had come back to visit the bridge.