By Chris Vedelago, Marta Pascual Juanola and Lachlan Abbott
Police are investigating whether so-called “magic mushrooms” are behind the death of a woman who fell ill, along with two other people, after consuming a drink at a wellness event in Clunes.
Paramedics were called to the Soul Barn in Clunes, near Ballarat, about 11.50pm on Saturday after reports a 53-year-old woman had suffered a potential cardiac arrest and wasn’t breathing.
The unidentified woman, of Ringwood North, died at the scene. Two other people were transported to the Ballarat Base Hospital for observation. Grampians Health has confirmed they have been discharged.
Investigators are probing whether some kind of toxic mushroom, potentially the psychedelic variety known as magic mushrooms, was used in the drink that made the trio ill. However, they have not ruled out other potentially toxic substances.
Soul Barn is an “alternative and holistic health service” business that operates out of a commercial property in Fraser Street, Clunes, 33 kilometres north of Ballarat.
The centre’s website extols the virtues of holistic wellness, selling itself as a place to untangle the mind and “come to your senses and be in the present moment”.
The Soul Barn in Clunes, where a woman died on Sunday.Credit: Jason South
Soul Barn hosted an event with a trance medium on Friday evening and was scheduled to host an onsite clinic with a beauty therapist and herbalist offering “ancient skincare rituals”, skin sculpting and lymphatic drainage services over the weekend. A sound healing session due to be held at the centre on Sunday was cancelled after the woman’s death.
“My deepest apologies – sound healing is [cancelled] today,” a post on the business’s Facebook page read. “Email with refund and details have been sent to all booked.”
The business offers beauty treatments, tarot readings, reiki, acupuncture and other alternative therapies. It also hosts occasional events and retreats.
“Soul Barn is a cohesive, safe, prosperous, and happy place,” the website says. “We value, support and promote openness through acceptance and continuous practice with self and others.”
The Soul Barn in Clunes hosts a variety of wellness events.Credit: Facebook
Soul Barn owner Michelle Mullins declined to comment when contacted by The Age.
“Moorabool crime investigation unit detectives are investigating the circumstances following the death of a woman in Clunes [on Sunday, 14 April],” a police spokeswoman said.
“The 53-year-old Ringwood North woman died at the scene. Investigations remain ongoing and police will prepare a report for the coroner.”
Toxicologist Dr Jonathan Karro, speaking about the potential dangers of mushrooms in general and not about this specific case, said differentiating between dangerous and safe or edible varieties was extremely challenging and he would advise anyone against trying to pick them unless they were a mycologist (a mushroom expert).
Karro, the director of emergency medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, said the most common mushroom-related cases at his hospital were caused by psilocybin mushrooms, or magic mushrooms, which people had bought or picked from the wild.
He said it was rare – but not unheard of – for people who foraged for psychedelic mushrooms to accidentally ingest poisonous ones.
In Victoria, these deadly mushrooms include yellow-staining mushrooms and death cap mushrooms, which emerge in autumn.
“People get into trouble because different species of mushroom can be growing in the same area. So you can even pick a few mushrooms, and most of them are psychedelic, but [you can’t guarantee] that there isn’t a more poisonous or deadly mushroom as well,” he said.
Karro said it was unusual for people to die from ingesting the active ingredient of magic mushrooms, but people did come to harm because of their altered behaviour or after experiencing frightening hallucinations.
On April 5, the Department of Health put out a public service warning about the dangers of picking and eating wild mushrooms, particularly the severe health threat posed by death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) and yellow-staining mushrooms (Agaricus xanthodermus).
“Anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness. Consuming a death cap mushroom may result in death,” the alert said.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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