28 km north of Lyndhurst is the ghost town of Farina, now nothing more than a fascinating collection of ruins with the surrounding countryside littered with old drays, wheels and rusting pieces of equipment.
It is strange, while wandering around the ruins, to think that people once made their homes here and hoped to grow wheat in the parched surrounding landscape.
The area was originally proclaimed a town on 21/03/1878 and called “Government Gums” because of the mature River Red Gums in the creek to the north of the town.
Later it’s name was changed to “Farina” (Latin for wheat or flour) by farmers who optimistically hoped to turn the vast flat lands here into fields of grain.
For a few years the rains were unusually good, and the farms and town flourished, reaching a population of about 600 before the copper and silver mine closed in 1927.
At its peak the town had a bakery, grain store, two breweries, two hotels, a general store, post office, Anglican church, five blacksmiths and a school.
Then the normal climate returned … bringing years of drought and dust storms which eventually forcing the abandonment of the town.
Farina was the railhead from Port Augusta from 22/5/1882 until 1884 when the line was extended first to Marree and then Alice Springs. The line closed in the 1980’s and was removed in 1993.
Railway buildings included platforms, goods shed, sheep and cattle yards, station masters residence, workman’s cottage and a 5m gallon reservoir.
One of the more unusual cargoes embarked at Farina railway station was South Australia’s biggest meteorite. The 1.2 ton Murnpeowie iron Meteorite was dragged out of the desert north-east of here about a century ago; and can be seen today at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide.
Afghan camel drivers lived on Afghan hill, on the eastern side of the town. They brought in wool from the stations and delivered supplies to them. Chinese came to Farina as construction workers on the railway and some stayed on as gardeners.
The Farina cometary was last used in 1960 and the town was finally abandoned in the 1980’s.
You can view more photos that I took during my road trip travelling from Adelaide to Coober Pedy
Tourist Information
A bush camp ground with facilities has been established adjacent to Farina creek by the owners of Farina station.
Lyndhurst is located 606 km north of Adelaide at the crossroads of the Strzelecki and Oodnadatta Tracks. For more information contact the South Australian Visitor & Travel Centre
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
You wonder what kind of life’s the people had that lived in the homes that now lay in ruins. Who their where and where did they go in the end, where they happy or sad?
…and I thought Coober Pedy was a ghost town! Those are chilling pictures. Puts me in mind of Mad Max.
Interesting information. Thank you for sharing it with us. This really makes me thing how there’s so many other places in the world that was once populated and now it is deserted..Its great to have people out there to research these places and tell us the history.
I’ve visited Australia 5 times and had no idea it had places similar to the place you’ve reviewed in this post. There is a lot of interesting facts one can learn about different lands! Great site!
Great post. There’s just something I love about ghost towns. In the states, I love visiting North Dakota for that reason – just stumble into some places where these tiny towns and churches have been abandoned for years. There’s something endlessly fascinating about that. Good post!
Australia, and especially the Outback, is such a great place to visit ghost towns, lonesome bush towns that had an interesting history. I always imagine how it must have been in the early days without modern day’s transport. I am fascinated by the history of the old ghan railway line. Thanks again for sharing th photos and the stories. I’ll sure be back to your blog.
Thank you for interesting information, but most of all I liked placed photos. This place looks strange, especially with this bicycle
That tricycle reminds me a little bit of The Shining. The place looks as dry as a bone. I don’t know why they thought they could grow crops at any time.
I have visited Farina many times and have written the History of Farina in a book called “Farina. from gibber to ghost town….”….. it is available from me at 7 Burnbank street, Lake Wendouree Vic 3355 at a cost of $ 15.. the ruins are absorbing ‘ the stories behind the people are fascinating,,,,,,,,,,, afghans, pastoralists, aborigines,
The Farina Campsite is a little valley of greenery amongst the saltbush.
It is beautiful desolate country around there. Not as beautiful and as desolate as mine – but easy to get to for a “taste”
Robbo
Finding desolate places, especially where you don’t expect them to be, is quite inspiring. Finding out that people in a remote place LIVED and DIED there long ago gives me a very strange feeling, but one that I like. I hike in the black hills and finding old mines and stuff sunk into the hills is amazing. Word of warning: DO not enter these structures! Touching anything can bring the whole thing down on you.
A group of people interested in Farina history and the restoration of some of its buildings is conducting a working program from 3rd May to 17th May 2009 and would be keen to hear of interested people who would like to be involved (not necessarily for the full time).
If you (or someone you might Know) are interested please contact the convenor at hardingtom@bigpond.com
This site is wonderful. My great grand parents lived in Farina for years. My
Grandmother and her 6 sisters were born snd grew up there. They have passed down
some wonderful stories about the town. My Great Grandfather was Nathaniel Finn he
trained the Afghan Camel drivers. My grandmother must have been the only child who
could not ride a bike for the life of her but could ride a camel with ease.
Thank you for the photos of the town.
have camped many many times in september to watch the rainbow bee eaters burrowing in the creek bank to breed and watch young whiteback swallows huddling together on the power wire behind the ‘donkey’.unfortunately i havent been since my dear companion left this earth.
The last time we were there was in a dust storm and a group of lutheran people were going to the territory for a centenary celebration and they stayed in the old shearing sheds down the creek. she was very sick but loved every moment of the storm proped up in the back of the old hilux and it was in the mid30s overnight without complaint.
legend has it the optomistic town folk joked that the next two towns should be called bran and pollard, as their town Farina was latin for flour. My greatgrandpa was a resident carpenter and block owner at sliding rock where I visit regularly and so i was drawn to Farina and Maree while visiting the ‘old carpenter’. never feel more at ease than when i am in this countryside.
Hello, I am researching family history for McPharlin. the Name Bernard McPharlin and his wife and family are all listed in this area, which include Saltina and Pich Richi. I have deaths noted of this family in these areas but am unable to find cemetaries in these areas.
This is the last part of the family that is unfound and would love to know a bit more about them.
Is there any one who can shine a light for me. Cheers Margret
just love the pics. of Farina, so haunting.
According to our family history, my Grt. Grandmother was the first white woman born in Farina..I have a diary she wrote in later life, which tells of her childhood in Farina.
Also there is supposed to be a grave in the Farina cemetery of a relation but I haven’t been able to verify.does anyone know of any Adams in local cemeteries??
Regards, Elaine..
My parents lived at Farina from 1938/39/40/41. Dad was a fettler in the Commonwealth Railways. I have a photo of my brother and sister in front of the house in that period but seek further photos
around that time. Will be visiting Farina around 27th April this year.
Trevor, If you are going to Farina, would you be able to have a look and see if there is a grave of a Jane Adams.I was told it was on a hill(?) by a tree at the farina cemetery. I would live a photo of it, if possible.
she is part of our family, and I will never be able to go there, so if you can help I would be most grateful.
Elaine..
Hello all, Farina is where my relatives once lived…a long time ago….We are trying to find out about these people, how they lived etc…..I was wondering whether any of you out there have seen of heard about the McPharlin families , or found grave stones etc.
Happy Easter to you all,
Cheers Margret
Thanks Trevor, really appreciate it.. Hope the trip is not too hard for you…elaine..
The Farina Restoration Group which is made up of volunteers will be working at Farina for the month of May. The renovation of the Cemetary incorporating an information pergola, plus the building of a memorial to those who served in WW1 & WW2 (incorporating an information pergola) are high priorities. On the weekend of the 22nd/23rd there will be a “Back to Farina”.
The underground bakery will be operational, there will be a cricket match on Saturday and entertainment in the woolshed on Sat night, and on Sunday the cemetary upgrade will be consecrated and there will be a dedication of the war memorial.
Please refer to web site http://www.farinarestoration.net for more information about the Restoration Group. We would welcome more interested people.
Hi Trevor, just wondered if you were back from your trip to Farina….I am just about dying from curiosity to know whether you found out any info for me, about the grave site????
regards,
Elaine….
Hi Elaine, Yes back from the trip to Farina, sorry for the delay in contacting you. It was a tremendous trip but unfortunately I could find no reference to your inlaws.
Not to give up though as the owners of Farina station are in the process of researching the graves at Farina,apparently most of the local records were lost in a fire but fortunately in that era records of births and deaths were registered at Burra.
After the rains at Farina things are in a bit of a mess (roads and such) but the countryside is in excellent health, the greenest i think I have ever seen it. We coulnt drive to the cemetery,roads washed out, but we hiked and took a few photos which I will send as soon as I work out how to.
Could find no trees or evidence of any anywhere near the cemetery. A lot of unmarked graves that are being investigated. The Dawes family at Farina station are a lovely family and were very helpful to us and are very dedicated to the research of Farina history so dont give up the ghost yet-more is happening.
Sorry again and will post photos of cemetery asap.
Trev Mck
hi Trevor, thank you for doing that..I guess it was a big ask..looking at the photos of Farina,,,,,I don’t suppose it will be an easy thing to get it back to how it was, it would be a great thing to be involved in..my Gr, Gran was a Hisgrove, and lived in Farina.then married an Adams, and lived , also at cordillo downs…they then went to W.A early 1900s..I will look forward to seeing more info on Farina in the future….Elaine……