Former Post Office 1878–1960, Farina, South Australia
The underground bakery in the ghost town of Farina in outback South Australia is the linchpin of the old town.
Each winter a group of volunteers, bent on preservation of the old town, fire up the old underground wood-fired Scotch oven. Travellers can be greeted with the aroma of freshly baked bread by South Australian baker Martin MacLennan. Other products are also made for purchase by the public.
Thousands of dollars of bakery revenue every year goes to the preservation group.
The Farina Restoration Group was formed in 2008.
Plans exist for a café, museum, and training area in the underground bakery. There are many information story boards.
There are no residents in the town, the nearest being the owners of Farina Station – they maintain a bush camping area on the edge of the town.
Farina was originally called Government Gums and settled in 1878 for farming: its original buildings included two hotels, a hospital, general store, post office and two breweries.
The town is on the old alignment of the Ghan railway. It was the railhead until 1884 before the line was extended to Marree. The railway line was closed in the 1980s.
The town has an annual rainfall of 164 mm.
The town’s cemetery is approximately 3 kilometres away. Its Afghan section faces Mecca in the Islamic tradition. Residents of Afghan origin were involved in Afghan camel trains, providing transport services before the railway reached the town.
A War Memorial stands at the top of hill by the camping ground.
Former Post Office 1878–1960, Farina, South Australia
The underground bakery in the ghost town of Farina in outback South Australia is the linchpin of the old town.
Each winter a group of volunteers, bent on preservation of the old town, fire up the old underground wood-fired Scotch oven. Travellers can be greeted with the aroma of freshly baked bread by South Australian baker Martin MacLennan. Other products are also made for purchase by the public.
Thousands of dollars of bakery revenue every year goes to the preservation group.
The Farina Restoration Group was formed in 2008.
Plans exist for a café, museum, and training area in the underground bakery. There are many information story boards.
There are no residents in the town, the nearest being the owners of Farina Station – they maintain a bush camping area on the edge of the town.
Farina was originally called Government Gums and settled in 1878 for farming: its original buildings included two hotels, a hospital, general store, post office and two breweries.
The town is on the old alignment of the Ghan railway. It was the railhead until 1884 before the line was extended to Marree. The railway line was closed in the 1980s.
The town has an annual rainfall of 164 mm.
The town’s cemetery is approximately 3 kilometres away. Its Afghan section faces Mecca in the Islamic tradition. Residents of Afghan origin were involved in Afghan camel trains, providing transport services before the railway reached the town.
A War Memorial stands at the top of hill by the camping ground.