F is for FARINA

 We enjoy travelling to Farina in the north of our state of South Australia.  It is a 2 day trip to a fairly remote area but it is worth the drive to see the real outback of SA.

Some of the ruins which remain and make Farina interesting

Farina is 600 km north of Adelaide, South Australia.  It is now a ghost town with a difference as it has become a town where many volunteers help to restore and maintain the ruins that remain.  There is an underground bakery that has been restored and is open for several months of the year and helps to provide the funds to keep up the restoration work.  Farina Station has been owned for 30 years by the same family and includes the Campground and some amenities but no electricity for campers.

Our camping spot this trip

We have travelled to Farina a few times and enjoy seeing the restoration work as well as the great camping areas which are spread over a large area so although other campers are there it still has quite an isolated feeling which is what we enjoy.

Farina is situated between Marree to the north and Leigh Creek to the south.

There are many ruins scattered around the town and most have an information board to help understand what the town used to be like

Flinders Ranges views on way to Farina

Some wildflowers

Ochre pits on way to Farina

Entrance to Leigh Creek

Flinders Ranges

As you can see by the pictures above, Farina restoration is very much a work in progress, but they are not going to restore the buildings as I think that would spoil the "ghost town" feeling, but the buildings are being maintained so that they don't crumble and disappear which is what the volunteers are so keen to do.  A few train carriages have been found and will be restored and the little cemetary is kept in good  shape too.  There is an Anzac memorial to commemorate the town's men who went to war and those who were lost and a service is held on Anzac Day.