before 1878 farina was called the gums or government gums, it was an important waterhole in a dry desert. farina was settled in 1878 by farmers who thought that if they ploughed the land and planted crops it would rain. it was named farina after the latin word for flour. the town was the railhead until 1884 when the railway reached marree. during the wet years of the 1880s, plans were laid out for a town with 432 ¼-acre blocks. it was believed that it would be good for growing wheat and barley, however normal rainfall is not enough to grow these crops. several silver and copper mines were dug in the surrounding area.