Where you can find ghost mushrooms in Albury-Wodonga

There’s something growing near Albury-Wodonga and the glow-in-the-dark phenomenon has everyone talking. See where you can check it out.

Kurtis Hickling has been photographing the ghost mushroom in Mt Pilot National Park for years.

Northeast Victoria has a hidden secret buried in Mt Pilot National Park — the elusive ghost mushroom.

These native glow-in-the-dark mushrooms — scientifically known as Omphalotus nidiformis — get their glow from a chemical reaction between fungal enzymes and oxygen, and are hard to find, often hidden away in isolated parts of eastern Victorian forests.

But one local photographer discovered the fungi just 30km southwest of Wodonga, and, after mastering the art of capturing their bioluminescent glow, has now captured the attention of everyone.

Ghost fungus growing in Mt Pilot National Park. Picture: Kurtis Hickling

Kurtis Hickling said he discovered the mushrooms by chance, hiking in Mt Pilot National Park.

“A lot of people don’t realise these exist, especially in our local area,” Mr Hickling said.

“Eight years ago when I went out I didn’t realise they existed.

“I knew there were luminescent plankton and that kind of thing, but not luminescent fungi.”

Ghost mushrooms found in Mt Pilot National Park. Picture: Kurtis Hickling

Dubbed “nature’s fairy lights”, Mr Hickling said Northeast Victoria residents were slowly discovering the funky fungi, but many locals still didn’t know where to find them.

He said Honeyeater Picnic Area in Mt Pilot National Park, about 30 minutes drive from Wodonga, was the easiest place to see the phenomenon.

But people are encouraged to look — not touch.

“Just to go out there to have a look at them in person is worth the trip,” Mr Hickling said.

“I haven’t seen them (the fungi) as good as this for a number of years now, I think it’s because we’ve had extra rainfall.

“Some are the size of a golf ball and some are the size of a dinner plate.

“There’s that much fungi at the moment it’s not hard to spot them.”

Originally published as Where you can find ghost mushrooms in Albury-Wodonga