By Erin Pearson
A woman who ran a healing retreat where a participant died after drinking magic mushroom tea has been fined $3000 and will not have a criminal record after pleading guilty to trafficking the illicit substance.
Deanne Mathews, 54, faced Bacchus Marsh Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, almost a year after hosting the fatal retreat at Clunes.
Deanne Mathews, 54, outside Bacchus Marsh Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.Credit: Nine News
Mathews was charged with trafficking drugs but has not been charged over the death of a participant, Ringwood mother Rachael Dixon, 53.
Police prosecutor Kerrie-Ann Moroney said that on April 13, 2024, Mathews had hosted a $500-a-head healing ceremony where the hallucinogenic substance was weighed and provided in a tea.
She said each participant had been aware of what they were consuming, and that Dixon died after consuming the magic mushrooms.
Moroney said one witness told police: “All the consumption of the tea is totally up to the individual. You are never pushed to try this.”
Rachael Dixon died after drinking magic mushroom tea.
Another witness told police most of the participants attended because of the draw of the psilocybin tea provided.
Mathews, wearing a long brown shawl and sandals, sat with her arms and legs crossed during the brief hearing, which she left with no conviction imposed.
Defence lawyer Jon Ross noted Dixon’s death but reminded the court no link between the mushroom tea and her death had been substantiated.
The Soul Barn Creative Wellbeing Centre in Clunes, where Deanne Mathews hired a room for her event.Credit: Jason South
He said his client and all participants were distressed about what had occurred.
The court heard Mathews had called emergency services and performed CPR on Dixon before she died.
“It’s important context. There is no evidence of a causal link between the event hosted and the untimely death. The evidence is simply not there,” Ross said.
“As tragic as this whole situation is, this sentencing exercise is about trafficking psilocybin on that day.”
Mathews said participants were free to choose the amount of ground-up mushrooms they used before drinking the illicit tea over two sittings.
Ross said his client had suffered significant trauma as a child, leading her to build the therapeutic practice, which included reiki, breath work, meditation and sound healing to assist clients over many years.
As part of her own trauma healing, Ross said, Mathews had experimented with magic mushrooms and wanted to help others do the same.
“Since this matter, no such events have been held. This is not a prominent feature of what she does. This was at the time a very small subset of her practice,” Ross said.
“Something irregularly infrequent and relatively new.
“We’re not talking about drug dealing in a rave scene, we’re not talking about meth. She’s unlikely to be back before the courts again.”
In character references provided to the court, family and some of the attendees at the Clunes event wrote of their support for Mathews.
Deanne Mathews outside court.Credit: Nine News
Marguerite Wilkinson, who was present on April 13 last year, said Mathews was a wonderful person with high morals and she had acted in a calm and controlled manner on the day.
“She assured us she would be providing a safe, nurturing, and comfortable healing space and would be there to guide, advise and comfort us if needed. I had complete faith and trust in her knowledge and her ability as a facilitator,” Wilkinson wrote.
“Unfortunately on that dreadful night, due to unforeseen circumstances, we lost Rachel.”
Kathryn Baeppler said Mathews had been a source of inspiration and information during the time she had known her.
She said that as an allied healthcare worker, her perception of those who practised in the field of alternative healing was not high at first. Baeppler said she viewed them as “unscientific, as gullible and uneducated and at worst as charlatans. That was until I met Deanne.”
Baeppler said there was a hunger for use of psychedelic therapies in Australia, and that for many people, waiting was not an option.
“Deanne did meet this need, and in doing so, did work outside the law.”
Desiree McPhee said Mathews was an upstanding member of the community but noted her “error in judgment” on the day.
Mathews’ fiance, Benjamin Venese, said Mathews was a courageous and loving partner and a skilled therapist.
Son Kane Mathews said his mother’s mission was to help people overcome immense grief and that she worked as a positive force for society.
“Although what happened was an absolute tragedy and truly heartbreaking, Mum’s intention was to always aid people who were in the depth of overcoming trauma,” he said.
Magistrate Julia Barling fined Mathews $3000 without imposing a conviction.
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