ABSTRACT
The Walter Taylor Bridge over the Brisbane River at Indooroopilly in Queensland Australia, completed in 1936, is a rare example of the Florianopolis type, originated by David B Steinman. His bridge, however, and those by others, used eye bar suspension chains, while the cable at Indooroopilly consists of wire ropes salvaged from the tie-back cables used in construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The bolted clamps that connect the stiffening trusses to the wire rope cables were developed specifically for the bridge at Indooroopilly, and these two features make the bridge unique. When it was opened the bridge had the second longest span in Australia, only exceeded by the then new bridge over Sydney Harbour. Design provenance is clouded by uncertainties, although it is now generally accepted that R. J. McWilliam designed the pylons and W. J. Doak was responsible for the suspended steelwork. At the time, Doak was Bridge Engineer for Queensland Railways, which may explain the reluctance to publically acknowledge his involvement at the time. The bridge is well maintained and remains in service.
