Deep in the South Australian outback, where temperatures plummet and the nearest town is hours away, a group of dedicated volunteers are keeping a remarkable tradition alive. At 3:30 every morning, former professional baker Kerry Storer and his fellow retirees fire up the ovens at Farina famous underground bakery, just as they have done for the past 15 years.
The bakery, built in 1888, is believed to be Australia only remaining underground bakery. Located in the tiny township of Farina, it relies entirely on volunteer labour from retired bakers and community members who make annual pilgrimages of more than 1,000 kilometres to spend two months working the ovens.
Kerry love of baking began at age 18 when he started his career in Hamilton, in south-west Victoria. Decades later, he cannot shake his passion for making breads, pies, and pastries in wood-fired ovens. He spends his winters making the long journey from Victoria to Farina, rising before dawn to prepare the ovens and dough for the day ahead.
The volunteers work gruelling 14-hour shifts in the underground ovens, which stay cool during the scorching summer months and retain heat during winter. The bread, pies, and pastries they produce have become legendary among outback travellers, truckies, and tourists who stop at Farina along the remote highways of South Australia.
The underground bakery is more than just a place to grab a pie. It serves as a vital community hub for Farina, a town with a population that has dwindled to near ghost-town levels over the decades. The volunteer operation keeps the town on the map and provides a unique outback experience for the travellers passing through.
The model of retiree volunteering at Farina represents a growing trend across rural Australia, where ageing populations and shrinking workforces have prompted creative solutions to keep small communities functioning. In towns across the outback, retired professionals are stepping up to fill gaps in services ranging from healthcare to hospitality.
Each year, the volunteer bakers return to Farina, drawn by the camaraderie, the sense of purpose, and the satisfaction of keeping a unique piece of Australian history alive. Their dedication ensures that travellers passing through the remote outback will continue to enjoy freshly baked goods from one of the country most unusual and historic bakeries.
Source: ABC News Australia