Welcome to the 2021 Farina Work Program.

Click here to download the 2021 Volunteer Information document which sets out the registration requirements for the program and provides a link to the online registration page. Please use the form as a guide to the information you will need to provide when using the website.

Again this year we are inviting all applicants to register through the Farina Restoration Group website as shown on the information document.

Once you complete the online registration you will receive an email confirming your online registration details, which you can keep on your email or print for your records. I will phone you in  a week or so and confirm your registration .

With increasing numbers of applications I may have to discuss with you the possibility of alternate weeks other than your first choice.  When you register please indicate which weeks you would like, and if there are specifically weeks you are unavailable note them in the message field.

This season we will be working out of Patterson’s House Cafe/ Museum which will be much more comfortable for us all.

The bakery caravan aka “Submarine” has been sold.

There will be a wide range of tasks available, including presenting Farina to visitors, the core activities of maintaining the buildings and the grounds of the old township.

Especially important will be the celebrations on the weekend of 18th to 20th June 2021.

We are fortunate to have Dick Smith AC to officiate at opening of Patterson’s House on Friday 18th June.

The Cricket match will be held on Saturday 19th June and on Sunday 20th June will see the Church service and the Bell Memorial service.

The Royal Flying Doctor (RFDS) was involved in 3 medical emergencies at Farina last season. We are grateful to them for their assistance in our remote location. Farina Restoration Group made a $5,000.00 donation to the RFDS this year in support.

We expect to see large numbers of tourists this season as more people travel locally.

Increasingly Farina is now an “historic inland township” and when visitors leave we aim to ensure they feel better for having been there.Maps and Guides – We have recently upgraded and completed 3 guides to Farina which are on the website (click on the name to view or download). They are “Navigating Farina”, “Farina Walking Trail and Guide” and “Farina Driving Trail notes and map”.

We look forward to your participation in 2021.

Tim Paine

Chairman – Farina Restoration Group 

I hope you are all coping with the Covid restrictions. I especially feel for all our Victorian Volunteers, hang in there.

The Farina Restoration Committee has been busy working during this time.

“The project received a grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) via its Strengthening Rural Communities Program, with funds provided by The McCusker Foundation.”

I am pleased to announce that we have been awarded a $51,672.00 grant from The  Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal to install a 17.2kw solar system with a 25.6 kw battery storage.

This will substantially reduce our fuel costs for power generation as we wont have to run the generator as much. We need to move the generator back to the shed and upgrade the sub-main from Tom’s Shed to the Angels Rest sub-board. We hope to complete this task by early November.

After some lobbying by Steve Harding, Telstra have announced that they will install a “Small Cell “as part of their Black Spot Programme, this will give 4G phone signal with some access to Broadband within a radius of approx 500m.

We can then roll out QR information points around the town for tourists, let’s hope it makes it to the campground .

Steamtown at Peterborough have, generously, loaned us a locomotive for Farina. NSU62 is a diesel electric locomotive that amongst other journeys, was the last engine to travel on the Old Ghan Railway. It was used to pull up the old line back to Marree from the North in the early 80s.

Farina Restoration has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Steamtown and will be part of a Rail Trail with Pitchi Richi and Steamtown. We have applied for a grant to get the locomotive relocated and undercover. We plan to locate it south of the water tank opposite the flat wagon near where the passenger waiting room was. There is a proposal to rebuild the Passenger Waiting room but this is still under discussion.

Weighing in at 60T it is no easy feat, cranes and heavy Haulage are required and come at considerable cost. We have previously applied for some government funding, but did not get this first allocation. We are therefore pursuing other avenues of funding.

Our “Rail Precinct” is very much understated and its time we shone a light on the very reason Farina exists.

Kevin and Anne received 53mm of precious rain on 18^th Sept, the main dams are now full and we hope they get some follow up rains now to keep things going.

It’s a bit early yet to make any firm decisions, but 2021 is Farina’s ANZAC Dawn Service year. We also have an Official Opening of Patterson’s House.

We will keep you informed once we have some clearer directions.

Keep well.

Tim Paine

Chairman FRG

COVID19 Corona Virus  

I am sorry to announce that we must cancel our 2020 Farina works program.

This also means the Farina Underground Bakery will not operate.

We have not taken this decision lightly.

It is our Duty Of Care to ensure the health and safety of our volunteers and visitors.

We encourage you all to travel when you can and to stay at Farina for a few days and support Kevin & Anne.

I am deeply sorry to you all but we all need to look after each other during these crazy times.

Keep well

Regards

Tim Paine

Chairman

Farina Restoration Group