Volunteers Return To Rebuild And Share Farina’s Story
The legends of the Farina Restoration Group are getting ready to hit the road again, caravans and campers in tow, and head north to bring the old railway town back to life for another season.
While the Farina Underground Bakery will once again be serving up hot bread, pies and pasties from the historic Scotch oven, there’s plenty more happening behind the scenes this year.
A Ticket Back To Farina’s Railway Past
One of the major projects for 2026 is the construction of a replica railway ticket office, built on the original footings. The Central Australia Railway, once known as the Great Northern Railway, was a key part of Farina when it arrived in 1882, and the ticket office would have been one of the first things passengers saw stepping off the train.
It disappeared sometime in the 1960s, but this year it’s coming back, giving visitors a clearer picture of what the railway precinct looked like in its heyday. It will also house a growing collection of railway artefacts, adding another layer to the Farina story.
Honouring Farina’s Local Policeman
There’s also a more personal piece of history being honoured this season.
Mounted Constable Richard William Spicer was Farina’s local policeman in the early 1880s, working across a vast stretch of the far north at a time when policing meant long days on horseback and dealing with whatever came your way.
Originally from England, he joined the South Australian Police in 1878 and was posted through remote towns including Wilmington, Beltana and Farina, where he became a well-known and respected part of the community.
In 1884, while taking part in mounted firearms training near Farina, Spicer was accidentally shot and later died from his injuries, aged just 34. The whole town rallied in response, with an emergency train organised to rush him to Port Augusta, but he didn’t survive.
On May 29, a memorial silhouette and plaque will be unveiled near the old police station, just west of the bakery, recognising his role in the town’s early days. It’s a quiet nod to one of Farina’s own, and a reminder there’s more to this place than meets the eye.
More Than Just A Bakery Stop
For eight weeks each winter, this once-forgotten town fires up more than just the bakery oven. Volunteers arrive from across the country, sleeves rolled up and aprons on, and Farina becomes a working outback stop once more.
After earlier rains, there’s even more reason to go, with the outback putting on a rare show. A carpet of green has replaced the usual dust, and if there was ever a year to head north and take it all in, this is it.
Farina sits in the Lake Eyre Basin, about six hours north of Adelaide, and for a short window each year, it’s one of the most unique stops you’ll find in outback South Australia.
Farina Underground Bakery
Open: Saturday May 23 – July 19, 8am – 4pm
More info – click here
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