Poisonous mushrooms begin to appear as cool weather sets in

Victorians are being reminded to stay vigilant, with poisonous mushrooms beginning to appear during autumn as conditions become cooler and wetter.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Evelyn Wong is warning people not to pick or eat wild mushrooms growing in home gardens or publicly accessible areas, as they can be poisonous and unsafe to consume.

“Adults and children are advised not to handle wild mushrooms with bare hands or eat them, and pets should be kept away from areas where mushrooms are growing. Eating some wild mushroom can make you very sick or even kill you.” Dr Wong said.

There is no home test available to distinguish safe and edible mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms and unless you are an expert, do not pick and consume wild mushrooms in Victoria, including in your home garden.

Poisonous mushrooms, including death cap mushrooms and yellow-staining mushrooms, are more common in Victoria through the autumn and winter months, particularly after rain.

It is important to safely remove any wild mushrooms growing at home to reduce the risk to young children and pets.

Wild mushrooms growing in home gardens should be removed by wearing gloves, carefully placing them in a bag and disposing of them in a closed general waste (landfill) rubbish bin. Hands should be washed thoroughly afterwards.

Victorians are strongly advised to only eat mushrooms purchased from supermarkets, greengrocers or other reputable retailers.

The Victorian Poisons Information Centre received more than 400 calls relating to mushroom exposures in 2025, with nearly half of these calls involving exploratory exposures in children under the age of five.

Poisoning can happen to anyone consuming wild mushrooms. If you or anyone in your care may have eaten a wild mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to develop. Please call the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 131126 - available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - for appropriate advice.

“Common symptoms of mushroom poisoning can include stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea. Ingesting death cap mushrooms can lead to irreversible organ failure and ultimately result in death.”

If you or anyone in your care feels unwell after eating wild mushrooms, including with severe gastrointestinal symptoms, call 000 immediately for an ambulance. Do not call the Poisons Information Centre in an emergency.

If your pet has ingested a wild mushroom, contact the Animal Poisons Helpline on 1300 869 738 for advice.

More information about mushroom poisoning is available at the Better Health Channel.