Page 13: Melbourne’s multiplying mushies are just magic, say shroomers

Victorian shroomers aren’t just seeing things — golden top mushrooms really are sprouting up everywhere this winter.

There are an estimated 20 to 30 species of magic mushrooms in Australia.

Shroomers around Victoria have been tripping all season at the bounty of mushies on offer.

An expert magic mushroom picker told Page 13 the mushies were growing in abundance in the slightly wet and warmer winter climate.

“It’s pretty warm and sunny outside, but also damp and wet on the ground, making it an ideal environment,” our shroomer said.

He added that golden tops, also known as copper tops or blue meanies, produce psilocybin, a psychoactive compound with effects similar to LSD.

There are an estimated 20 to 30 species of magic mushrooms in Australia, some native and some introduced.

Shroomers around Victoria have been tripping all season at the bounty of mushies on offer. Picture: Getty Images

Our shroomer added that golden tops were clearly identifiable from death caps, which may have been in a beef wellington dish eaten at a lunch in Leongatha.

Three people have died from allegedly eating the mushrooms and another person is in critical condition.

“Anyone who knows anything about mushrooms would stay far away from the death caps and wouldn’t mistake them for something edible,” the shroomer added.

Elsewhere, anyone from Leongatha with the surname Patterson, and there are plenty of them, is getting a workout from media and police as they continue their investigations into the deadly lunch.

High jumper Eleanor Patterson (you guessed it, she’s from Leongatha) is supposedly not related to the Patterson family affected by the beef wellington.

She is safely in Budapest preparing to defend her world championship title.