Erin Patterson’s old town of Korumburra wants to move on
Korumburra locals living with the fallout of Erin Patterson’s mushroom murder trial are afraid to speak, sick of the spotlight, and desperate to reclaim their town from a story that won’t fade.
The aftermath of Erin Patterson’s murder convictions has left her old town on edge.
The victims of the triple-murderer were loved and well known in Korumburra, a tiny rural town in Victoria’s southeast.
Their deaths after what seemed like an innocent family lunch shook the close-knit community and sent media outlets into a frenzy.
Days after Patterson was convicted of three counts of murder and one of attempted murder, residents say they’re worried about further tarnishing of Korumburra’s reputation.
Patterson lived in the area for years before moving to Leongatha, 15 minutes away. She was convicted this week after a jury unanimously found she deliberately laced a beef Wellington pie with death cap mushrooms. Her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and family friend Heather Wilkinson died. Ian Wilkinson, a Baptist pastor, survived after spending weeks in hospital.
While the trial played out in the Supreme Court at Morwell, Korumburra remained under media scrutiny.
“It’s always ‘the Korumburra woman’, ‘the Korumburra lunch’, ‘the small town of Korumburra’,” said Lisa, who has lived in the area for more than eight years.
“People here are tired of it. We’re not part of this story but we’ve been lumped in with it since day one.”
Lisa, who runs a cafe on Commercial Street, says the case has brought a stream of journalists and curious people through town over the past year. More than once, her staff were asked whether they knew Patterson or her victims.
“It became exhausting,” she said. “People assumed we all had an opinion or knew the details. Most of us were just trying to get on with our lives.”
Several residents who spoke with The Australian said they felt sympathy for the victims and their families but were increasingly uncomfortable with public association between their community and the crime.
“We all followed the trial, of course,” said one local who did not wish to be named. “It was shocking, but it’s not something anyone here wants to be known for.”
Korumburra is surrounded by hills, dairies and small family-run properties. It’s about 120km southeast of Melbourne, and while it has grown over the years, residents say it has maintained its rural character.
“Korumburra is a good town with good people,” said another retired local. “What happened was tragic, and we all feel for the families.”
Some locals say they didn’t know Patterson personally, while others described her as quiet and private. Few were willing to speak on the record about her.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged Patterson deliberately served a meal containing death cap mushrooms. Her defence argued the poisonings were unintentional.
The jury ultimately found her guilty on all charges after nine weeks of evidence and testimony.
Patterson will be sentenced later this year but is expected to appeal her convictions after being returned to the prison where she could spend the rest of her life. She is being housed in a protection unit at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Ravenhall, west of Melbourne, where she has been in custody since her arrest in November 2023
In the meantime, Korumburra locals say they’re hoping attention surrounding the case begins to subside.
“We’re not asking people to forget what happened,” said Nathan. “It’s a terrible case. At the same time, we’d like to be seen for who we really are, not just where Erin Patterson lived.”
At Patterson’s home in Leongatha, her red MG hatchback vanished from the driveway overnight while the curtains remained down.
The modest home has also become a stop-by for curious locals and passers-by. Some slow their cars as they drive past, craning to catch a glimpse.
“It gives you chills,” one neighbour said. “You can’t drive past without thinking about what happened in that kitchen.”
Locals say the street has never been busier with visitors as during the past two months. Some nearby residents have asked the media to stay away, saying the attention has disrupted their quiet corner of Gippsland.
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