Farina, drop in and see a little piece of Outback History
Submitted: Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 19:06
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Member - Stephen L (Clare SA)
Hi All
Now with the
Cooper Creek ferry running and many people heading up to see Lake Eyre, do yourself a favour and drop into the old
Farina ruins as you travel the
Lyndhurst to
Marree Road.
I have just put up a Blog with a little history of the place and a few images of what you can expect to see.
Cheers
Stephen
Reply By: Member - Michael and Chris (QL - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 19:24
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 19:24
Stephen,
Not long now and we will be out there, can't wait. Cheers Mick
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 19:35
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 19:35
Hi Mick
I am in the same boat, with just over a month before we are up there again. Get your camera ready, as I am hearing nothing but the best reports of Track conditions, weather, and of course the Cooper Ferry...
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
732023
Reply By: Member - Mfewster(SA) - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 19:40
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 19:40
Totally agree on
Farina. Really worth a good look and have your camera ready.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 20:57
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 20:57
Hi Mfewster
I only wish a had a digital camera years ago. When we head back again, we will make yet another visit, it is always a top location.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Mfewster(SA) - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 21:05
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 21:05
If you can stay in the attached campground over night, the light at
Farina is really good for photos just after the sun rises and hits those old stone walls.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 22:54
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 22:54
Fiona and I have talked about staying there after coming back from the Cooper Ferry ride, on the way to
Innamincka.
Thanks for your great advise.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: time waster - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 20:05
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 20:05
Also a great way to get to
Farina is from
Andamooka, $25 track pass and a great run.
Christian
Site LinkSite LinkSite LinkSite Link
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 21:00
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 21:00
Hi Time Waster,
The last time I wanted to go that way it was wet, but will get to do it one day.
Good images.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: coley62 - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 21:52
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 21:52
Stephen L
slightly off topic
have you heard what the mice are up to around the cooper or are the frosts starting to take a toll on them
Trying to get up there from Melb soon
cheers
coley
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 22:52
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 22:52
Hi Coley
When I last spoke with Patsy last week, I asked on how the mice situation was going. They are still around, but the number are thinning down due to the cold nights. With the nights getting colder, it should have a marked effect on the numbers.
Depending on when you head up, you could give a report, or else I will let everyone know when we get back from our planned trip in a months time.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: coley62 - Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 23:02
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 at 23:02
Hi Stephen L
trying to get the time off, certainly will give a report when/ if i get there
cheers
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Reply By: shedboy - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 08:59
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 08:59
great place
farina stopped there overnight last month. cold & rainy. make shure you collect some firewood to light the donkey boiler for a shower.
george.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 09:10
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 09:10
Hi George
Great advice. It would have been a pity about the rain.
Thanks for the reply.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: Richard W (NSW) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 11:39
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 11:39
Stephen,
Was there last October for the Drive 4 Life charity event and we camped overnight.
Great
camp spot for$5 per night, was nice and grassy.
Stopped in again in May this year and the
camp sites are still grassy.
The volunteers stabilising the
ruins were in residence and doing a great job.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 14:24
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 14:24
Hi Richard
It sure is a top little spot and the grass and the trees make it a very inviting place to stay.
The times that we have been there, I have never come across anyone working on the
ruins.
Thanks for the reply.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Richard W (NSW) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 16:27
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 16:27
Stephen,
They told us a number of them spend a month each May stabilising the
ruins.
I have run into them a number of times. They have produced a book on the history of the site which I have read and is very interesting.
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Follow Up By: TTD1 - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 17:36
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 17:36
Steven L
there is a bit on
Farina Friends on the net but the main driver of the annual May working bees is a bloke by the name of Tom Harding from
Geelong in Vic. When we called in in May there were 25 vans at the wool shed and the volunteers had just fired up the bread oven. We were able to purchase custard tarts straight out of the oven. A great place and we will visit again.
Regards
TD
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:16
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:16
Hi Richard
I have heard there is a book and could you please advise me where you were lucky enough to get a copy from, as I would love to get a copy and it would make very interesting reading.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 20:01
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 20:01
Hi TD
I can smell the cooking right now, and they would have been the best tasting custard tarts that you have ever had, straight from the bakers over.
Cheers
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Richard W (NSW) - Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 05:53
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 05:53
Stephen,
Can't remember the exact name of the book as an acquaintance bought the copy which I read on the trip but a Google suggests it is probably one of Rob Olsen's books '
Farina, From Gibbers to Ghost Town' or '
Farina, 'Such a beastly place'.
The copy was bought on site from the group doing the restoration to raise money for the project.
The groups website is here although there are no contact details:
Farina Restoration GroupFarina Station may also be of help:
Farina Station
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 14:34
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 14:34
Hi Richard
I am still awaiting on an email from
Farina Station to see it they still have any copies, as sadly, Rob Olston passed away in February 2010.
Thanks for your details.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: Member - John and Val - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 16:29
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 16:29
Good post Stephen. We have called in at
Farina a couple of times and camped there in 08 - great spot to stop, and the
ruins are very interesting to explore.
An interesting read covering the development of SA and the work of Goyder, leading to the adoption of the Goyder Line is "On the Margins of the Good Earth" by D.W.Meining. Dont know if its still in print as I got my copy secondhand, but the story that it tells is still relevant today.
Cheers,
Val.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:22
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:22
Hi Val
That book sounds like a very interesting read, so I will have to search to see if I can get hold of a copy.
All the Best
Stephen
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Reply By: Member - Neville D (VIC) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:02
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:02
We will be up that way in early september, been there before, nothing better than being out there.
cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:18
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 19:18
Hi Neville
Yes it is
well worth the one kilometre detour from the main road to visit the site.
I hope you have a great time away.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: happytravelers - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 21:20
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 21:20
Hi Stephen
Camped at
Farina ruins last week. Great spot but don't tell anybody else lol. $5 pp and you can buy fire wood in the form of old railway sleepers from the station manager for $5 each to keep you warm at night. Yes there are a few mice around but nothing to get worried about.
Jon
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 21:27
Monday, Jun 27, 2011 at 21:27
Hi Jon
Thanks for the latest update from
Farina.
We are looking forward to visiting the site again soon.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: Pete Jackman (SA) - Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 08:59
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 08:59
Thanks for the post Stephen,
My great uncle was the policeman there and we visited his old station last year:
Image Could Not Be Found
Another great uncle has his name on the war memorial.
Cheers
Pete
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 14:29
Tuesday, Jun 28, 2011 at 14:29
Hi Pete
That would have been a very special visit for sure and thanks for adding that photo.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Jul 07, 2011 at 23:30
Thursday, Jul 07, 2011 at 23:30
Gday Stephen,
Spent a night at
Farina last week - there has been an amazing amount of work done by the volunteer group. Lots of interpretive signs and shelters, and the cemetary has been largely restored!! All in the last 2-3 years.
Birdlife was great. Mice were not as bad as they are at
Cooper Creek or
William Creek.
Cheers
Phil
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 09:07
Friday, Jul 08, 2011 at 09:07
Hi Phil
Great to hear that you spent a night there. It is always a top little spot to drop into. I was speaking with Kevin last week and he said that the mice numbers had thinned out a little compared to what they were like.
Cheers
Stephen
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