The Presbyterian Church ran a boarding house, called Milton House for young ladies in the 1970's and perhaps into the 1980's. I am not sure but I think it functioned for a number of years. Due to its proximity to the city and teacher training colleges many ladies including myself lived here. It was affordable, comfortable and fun. I shall always remember showering with the the cockroaches, seeing my fellow boarders sneaking boys through the don't let boys through door and partying/dancing in the stately living room.
Being brought up in Queensland with cockroaches hardens a girl preparing us to not only deal with them but also to effectively flatten them with fly swats when the situation called for it.
A pencil sketch of Milton House gifted to me from an architecture student has proudly hung on my wall for a lot of years, always hitting me with quick nostalgia whenever I glanced its way.
It shows what this House looked like in the 70's and I was really keen to see it again in 2022. It was a very doable venture given that Milton is the suburb positioned relatively close to the hospital my husband was being treated at. So one morning I walked to Milton House knowing that due to its heritage listing it still had to be there.
And it was still standing but not how I pictured it to be.
I was totally unprepared and highly disappointed at what I saw on this trip. Sadly for me it was being given a huge make over!
A little walk around the outside of the fencing held no chance for me to slip in for a closer look. Although I was tempted to bolt over the fence and do a dash inside, it was too open and too many people might be watching. Even worse they might report me and what if I get fined or arrested? Yes, I admit I turn into a scaredy cat on the odd occasions.
I needed 
Not only that, I felt more disappointed when I saw how much the land Milton House sits on has dramatically diminished. No longer steps go down to the carpark, it has been taken over by new office buildings. The ambience of 1970's was gone, kaput never to be felt again. What modern progress does! It is both good and bad.
At least a wood seat invited interested people to sit and enjoy the House. I confess I sat gazing at Milton House trying to come to terms with the way it was.
On the other side of the House where the showers and cockroaches were once the rage, tennis courts now take pride of place overlooked by large unit buildings. All a bit squeezy, an all too often a sad characteristic of modern day urban expansion.
The little piece of information positioned outside the fence on the footpath was most informative. The photo that I have shared shows to be a most gracious old house, a look that was not there in the 70's. Thank goodness the house still stands after a couple of centuries, even better it is well preserved and maintained despite modern urban progress. And hopefully will continue being so, it is a let's wait and see state affairs.
Interestingly, the little bit of writing on the info form indicates that defacing, damaging etc, whatever we call it is alive and well.
According to the information page the house was built by Ambrose Eldridge who bought 30 acres on the banks of the Brisbane River to grow cotton. He was highly successful, received awards and became wealthy. How the house was dubbed Milton House is uncertain.
The fact that a Corporation owns this property clearly explains the urban changes to Milton House, the grounds and the surrounding expansions.
I look forward to my next visit in the foreseeable to check out upgrade. The whole adventure is a good reminder that life is forever changing. Thank goodness for Heritage listing otherwise we might see no House and instead see a spanking big new apartment or office building instead.
I must say urban exploring is definitely a fun rush.
Thanks for dropping by.
Angie
