It's important to let people know that we're open so Adrian was out of the main road at the start of the week to install our new signs.

Of course this is the week for firsts, so Kerry and Chris were captured here with the first bread baked in the most remote Underground Oven in Australia for 2026.

At the end of Week 1 the FRG in conjunction with the SA Police Historical Society and SA Police, conducted a commemorative service and memorial unveiling in honour of Mounted Constable Spicer at the Old Police Station.

The initial idea for the memorial came from Paul Smith, a historian from Port Augusta. He along with colleagues did the initial fundraising and then passed over the organisation of the memorial to John White from the SA Police Historical Society. FRG Committee Member Mark Roberts represented the FRG and co-ordinated the preparation of the Old Police Station in 2025 and this year and the installation of the footings for the memorial.

The FRG volunteers spent several days tidying up the old police station site, particularly as the recent rain caused a lot of weed and grass growth. The Stonies team stepped in and did more stone restoration work to get the site ready for the service. FRG Volunteer Dave Roy who is a former SA Police detective along with Mark Roberts installed the steel sillouette and plaque the day before the service.

On the morning of the ceremony, the SA Police events team arrived and set up the sound system, table and chairs and everything needed to conduct the service. A short time later the SA Police mounted branch arrived with two horses followed by the SA Police Band. Several senior members of SA Police attended to take part in the ceremony and the dedication of the memorial to MC Spicer and in a wider sense to all Police killed in the line of duty.

We estimate the there were more than 150 people in attendance, and service ably remembered the service and sacrifice by MC Spicer and more broadly the service to the community provided by Police every day.

Read more about the life and death of MC Richard Spicer by clicking here.

One of the most important tasks that we undertake during each work program is the preservation of the stone buildings at Farina. The initial focus this year was the New Police Station on North Terrace. It has been suffering deterioration of the mortar and one corner was getting close to collapse if it didn't get some attention.

As you can see, the Stonies team led by Stonemason Peter Russell worked hard to ensure that the Police Station will last many more years to come and provide visitors with an insight to living and working at Farina.

After getting painted in 2025 and rolled into the new Goods Shed, NSU62 just needed the lettering painted and various items like wheel bearings painted.

So Rob, Gay and Julie worked hard during the week to compete the paint job and make NSU62 look much like shed did when in service.

As the Goods Shed roof has a large surface area, the restoration group is installing a water tank to collect rainwater which can be used for the Stonework mortar and in the Bakery. 

The first step this season was to construct a firm and level base, which Kevin, Mark, Colin and Tanya completed by the middle of week 1. We then contacted the tank company who will come on-site and build the tank.

The next step we're taking at the Railway Precinct is the construction of a replica of the Ticket Office ad Waiting Room. Some parts of the original toilets next to the ticket office can still be found and along with some photos of the original we could locate the position of the waiting room. The appearance is based on a photo taken in the 1950's, however the construction methods and materials have been chosen to make the building more resilient in the harsh outback conditions.

The Ticket Office will allow the restoration group to display smaller railway artifacts which are currently on display at Patterson's house.

In week 1, Ian Salmon and the teamkicked off with the footings, floor framing and then the wall framing.