Photos: Farina Restoration Co Facebook
Australia’s most remote underground pop-up bakery, situated in the small rural South Australian town Farina, is opening again on Saturday 28 May for a limited period of time.
The outback bakery only operates eight weeks of the year, and is an absolute hidden treasure that is a must-see if you are in the area.
Farina is located on the edge of South Australia’s desert in the far north, a distance of about 600km away from Adelaide, and is the epitome of a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gem.
“Farina was the head on the Ghan line until 1886. When the rail line moved to Maree, Farina was still a starting point for the camel trains that delivered good out the stations and brought wool back,” said Farina Restoration Group Chair, Bill Brock.
“The population at the turn of the century [1900s] was around the 300 mark, so it was a flourishing town in its hay day.
“But the advent of the standard gauge line in 1955 spelled the demise of the town. When it closed in the 80s, that was pretty much the end of it.”
Starting its operation in 2013, Farina bakery is now a celebrated tourist attraction maintained by volunteers.
“The Farina Restoration Group formed by Tom Harding in 2008. He used to lead caravan tours and camped at Farina. They decided they wanted to do something for the township and raised $850. That was the started of the restoration project,” said Bill.
“[The Bakery is] run by volunteers and is one of our major fundraising activities. We have around 40 volunteers a week and they come from everywhere. Lots of Victorians, people from NSW… even people from WA and Tasmania. Pretty much every state.”
Its return in 2022 is great news, as unpredictable COVID restrictions forced the bakery to remain closed throughout 2020 and fans of the underground spot are eager to purchase their baked goods once again.
As part of the restorations, their wood fired oven has been rebuilt and will be used to bake a delicious range of fresh daily bread.
When they first started, all bakery items were made in their underground oven. Now, they cook the products in an oven powered by burning Mulga Wood – recycled wood sourced from Farina’s old fence posts.
Among their beloved bread options, the 1kg Fruit Loaf will be making a return as well as the Artisan loaves.
The eight-hour slow cooked beef will also be on the menu as part of a mouth-watering beef, bacon and cheese pie.
Of course, no good bakery is without its sweet treats so make sure you indulge in some of their cakes, slices, and biscuits alongside a piping hot coffee to warm you this winter.
Alongside it’s classics, the bakery is reopening with some new goodies for us to try, making the tourism hub a must-go even if you’ve been years previous.
In its 8 weeks of operation, the Farina bakery sees up to 12,000 visitors (and that’s Bill’s conservative estimate). Many tourists visit the township on their way to popular regional festivals, such as the Big Red Bash, the Finke Desert Race, or The Marree Camel Cup.
So, if you’re attending any of these events, definitely check out the Farina bakery on the way. The Big Red Bash kicks off in Birdsville (QLD) on the 5-7 July, the Finke Desert Race on 9-13 June, and the Marree Camel Cup will be on the 2nd July.
If you are after a little adventure, go check out the bakery between Saturday May 28th 2022 and the end of the school holidays Sunday July 24th 2022.
Farina bakery is located on Mulgaria Rd, Farina SA 5733. To find out more head here!
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