Heading north towards the Oodnadatta Track

We spent some time stooging around Marree and Farina, just before heading up the infamous Oodnadatta Track.

Farina is a fascinating uninhabited town from South Australia’s yesteryear. But for about two months each year (around May to July), an ever-growing group of caravanners volunteer their time to help restore the town. During this time they also open up the old underground bakery oven to bake delicious breads and pies, which are sold to the volunteers and the passing tourists. Sadly, we were a few weeks too early, so we missed out this time. (However, we were lucky enough to sample their wares when we past through town in 2017, after travelling down the Birdsville Track on our way home from attending the Big Red Bash!) On the plus side, this time we had the whole town to ourselves (well, except for the FLIES!).

Grader & old Post Office
Farina, SA
Underground bakery
Jen and John, and Farina’s old Transcontinental Hotel (later, bush nursing hospital)

Marree is the small town at the Southern end of both the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks. In its heyday, it was an important stop for the old Ghan Railway (before the route changed to what it is today) and had a large population of Afghani camel drivers, reminders of which can still be seen today. We love the iconic Marree pub and free camped in the pub grounds. The pub is a popular meeting place for tourists, locals and young international backpackers (who also staff many of the outback pubs up this way).