The Red Bridge — When the Road to the Gold Coast Had a Toll
If you’ve travelled south along the M1 towards the Gold Coast, you’ve probably spotted Loganholme’s iconic Red Bridge spanning the Logan River. Today, it’s a pedestrian and cycling link, but for decades it carried highway traffic and crossing it once meant paying a toll!
BEFORE THE BRIDGE: THE FERRY
Before the bridge, travellers relied on a ferry to cross the Logan River. As motor traffic increased, delays became a growing problem. By 1930, ferry operator Vince Kunde had built a second ferry to cope with demand.
A permanent bridge was needed to improve this important road connection between Brisbane and the South Coast.
1931: A NEW GATEWAY SOUTH
The Loganholme Bridge opened on 1 July 1931, replacing the ferry crossing with a permanent road link on the main South Coast route towards New South Wales.
Built under the Main Roads Commission, it was a government-funded project but motorists had to pay to use it. The tolls helped recover the cost of construction.
PAY BEFORE YOU PASS!
According to Dave Elsmore’s research, the government initially auctioned the toll-operating franchise for £11,000. When the successful bidder withdrew, the Main Roads Commission took over collecting the tolls. The collector operated from the old ferryman’s cottage.
The revenue was substantial. In its first full year, the bridge reportedly collected £9,767 in tolls, a remarkable sum during the Great Depression.
By mid-1936, the Courier-Mail reported that the bridge had more than paid for itself. Construction had cost £25,796, while net toll revenue was reported to have reached £55,649.
The toll booths finally closed in November 1945, ending more than 14 years of toll collection.
FLOODS TEST THE BRIDGE
In January 1947, major flooding washed away the bridge’s approaches but left the bridge itself intact. Nearby Waterford Bridge was also destroyed, increasing the traffic using the Loganholme crossing.
1968: TWO BRIDGES, MORE TRAFFIC
Growing traffic demanded more capacity. A second Logan River bridge opened on 25 May 1968 as part of the Pacific Highway upgrade. The newer bridge carried southbound traffic, while the original 1931 bridge handled northbound vehicles.
Then came the devastating 1974 floods. The southern approach to the old bridge was washed away again, leaving the newer bridge to carry traffic in both directions for around 10 weeks while repairs were undertaken.
1986: A NEW CHAPTER
In 1986, another bridge was constructed with Australian Bicentenary funding, allowing the original 1931 structure to be retired from highway service. The 1968 bridge remained in use.
Thankfully, the old Red Bridge was preserved rather than demolished.
In 2019, a $3.9 million restoration project repaired and strengthened the ageing structure. The steelwork was sandblasted and repainted in its distinctive Waratah Red, while repairs to concrete, reinforcing steel and other structural components helped secure its future.
Today, the Red Bridge remains an active transport link and a striking reminder of Queensland’s motoring past.
Next time you see it, remember: before the M1 and today’s traffic, this bridge helped open the road south - one toll at a time!
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
• Logan City Council — Loganholme history • Dave Elsmore — The Tolls of Queensland • The Australian Highway Site — Pacific Motorway history • Logan City Council — Red Bridge restoration announcement, November 2019
