Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #6 *Arrest*

[TootsieFootsie]

Hurtful rumour at the centre of deadly mushroom lunch is shot down

The 5,000 resident-strong town of Korumburra in South Gippsland, Victoria, was thrust into the international spotlight after three people died from ingesting an allegedly poison-laced lunch.

www.dailymail.co.uk

• Residents hit out at rumours after alleged poisonous mushroom lunch
• Claim they were unfairly portrayed as 'cult-like' religious fanatics

 

[SouthAussie]

Hurtful rumour at the centre of deadly mushroom lunch is shot down

The 5,000 resident-strong town of Korumburra in South Gippsland, Victoria, was thrust into the international spotlight after three people died from ingesting an allegedly poison-laced lunch.

www.dailymail.co.uk

• Residents hit out at rumours after alleged poisonous mushroom lunch
• Claim they were unfairly portrayed as 'cult-like' religious fanatics

There were?? "Claims that they were portrayed as religious fanatics". I didn't notice that at all.

imo

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes I didn't think the whole town was portrayed as being part of a church group.
And I don't recall any claims of a cult or religious fanatics.

 

[JBowie]

Yes I didn't think the whole town was portrayed as being part of a church group.
And I don't recall any claims of a cult or religious fanatics.

I believe the source of the claim is Nathan Hersey and it may be just his interpretation. Quoting from that DM article:

Former South Gippsland Shire mayor, Nathan Hersey, said the narratives surrounding the town involved residents being an 'overly religious, cult-like people'.

'But it's just a regular country town filled with great people in a very picturesque and beautiful place,' Mr Hersey told The Mushroom Cook podcast.

The former mayor fielded an 'onslaught' of media requests posed to the council from Aussie and international news outlets, including The New York Times and BBC.

He said he was fronting the media as much as three times per day when the story was at its most read.

A local, who asked to remain anonymous, said the public was 'quick to judge' the town and its residents after the incident.

'So many assumptions were made about us country folk soon after the deaths,' he told the Herald Sun.

'I think there were a perception that we picked our food from the ground and were really religious and that's just not the case.'

 

[Deleted member 83851]

Bah, just a media beat-up get the name of the podcast out there.

 

[Salah11]

Only a few weeks until we get another hearing on the 22nd April I believe.

 

[SouthAussie]

Only a few weeks until we get another hearing on the 22nd April I believe.

Yes, apparently it is a case management hearing.


This week, Ms Patterson was listed to return to court on April 22 for a case-management hearing before her committal mention the following Friday.

The new listing comes after Victoria Police confirmed last week that detectives had finalised their case against the former air-traffic controller and served the brief on Ms Patterson’s lawyers.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/erin-patterson-accused-triple-murderer-to-return-to-court-earlier-than-expected/news-story/0e40d2158efd6c7f61ceb4c732d43d52

 

[SouthAussie]

This is the link to EP's scheduled hearings - for reference.

EFAS

Her case number is P12322090.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

One dead, two in Vic hospital over ‘mushroom’ poisoning

A woman is dead and another two are in hospital after they allegedly consumed a drink at a health retreat near Ballarat that investigators believe could have contained mushrooms.

thenightly.com.au

A woman is dead and another two are in hospital after they allegedly consumed a drink at a health retreat near Ballarat that investigators believe could have contained mushrooms.

A Victoria Police statement said officers were investigating and a report would be prepared for the coroner after a 53-year-old Ringwood woman died shortly after becoming ill on Saturday afternoon.

 

[JBowie]

Suspected 'mushroom' drink poisoning in Clunes

A woman is dead and two others are in hospital after allegedly consuming a drink at a health retreat in the regional town of Clunes, near Ballarat, on the weekend.

www.dailymail.co.uk

... and of course, being the DM, the story segues into EP.

Googling around:

All toxic mushrooms cause vomiting and abdominal pain; other manifestations vary significantly by mushroom type. Generally, mushrooms that cause symptoms early (within 2 hours) are less dangerous than those that cause symptoms later (usually after 6 hours).

Symptoms can be delayed by 6 to 24 hours after eating poisonous mushrooms. Severity depends on how much is eaten and symptoms may last for 2 to 3 days. Symptoms may include: violent stomach cramps.

VIC mushrooms again? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[MissMarplesNotebook]

Very interesting, I live in a nearby region where a lot of people forage for magic mushies as they grow wild. And there seems to be a boom in middle age people doing mushrooms in various forms.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Mum who died at health retreat may have ingested 'magic' mushrooms

The 53-year-old mother, Rachael Dixon, was attending the retreat with two other friends at Soul Barn in Clunes, near Ballarat, on Saturday night.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Rachael Dixon: Mum who died at Soul Barn health retreat in Clunes may have ingested 'magic' mushrooms - as her son pays a heartbreaking tribute

 

[SouthAussie]

I looked up why a person might drink a mushroom drink at a skincare and holistic retreat. I love mushrooms, but I have never imagined a drink of mushroom.

Apparently, there are mushroom lattes, and mushroom hot chocolate, and mocha mushroom.
The mushroom drink can level out your cortisol levels which could be helpful in managing stress, and it contains anti-inflammatories.

Mushroom Coffee: Are There Health Benefits?

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I looked up why a person might drink a mushroom drink at a skincare and holistic retreat. I love mushrooms, but I have never imagined a drink of mushroom.

Apparently, there are mushroom lattes, and mushroom hot chocolate, and mocha mushroom.
The mushroom drink can level out your cortisol levels which could be helpful in managing stress, and it contains anti-inflammatories.

Mushroom Coffee: Are There Health Benefits?

My son is quite a forager....... and I love a clear type of mushroom soup....
but the added sweet stuff. Just sounds yucky.

 

[iamshadow21]

I looked up why a person might drink a mushroom drink at a skincare and holistic retreat. I love mushrooms, but I have never imagined a drink of mushroom.

Apparently, there are mushroom lattes, and mushroom hot chocolate, and mocha mushroom.
The mushroom drink can level out your cortisol levels which could be helpful in managing stress, and it contains anti-inflammatories.

Mushroom Coffee: Are There Health Benefits?

This wouldn't be the first time something harmful was offered at a spiritual retreat. We literally just had the inquest for this case:

Kambo guidelines do not reveal 'true risk' of using frog poison, NSW coroner finds

Natasha Lechner died of heart failure just minutes after taking part in a kambo ritual, with the NSW coroner finding the giant tree frog poison can cause death in healthy people as well as those with pre-existing conditions.

www.abc.net.au

 

[JBowie]

Official annual warnings about toxic mushrooms in VIC has been mentioned before. Here is the latest warning issued on 5 April:

Poisonous mushrooms growing in Victoria

Poisonous mushrooms including Death Cap mushrooms and Yellow-staining mushrooms occur in Victoria during Autumn, as the weather becomes wetter and cooler.

www.health.vic.gov.au

 

[JBowie]

The Age revealed that police were looking into whether the drink was mushroom based, although claims that the concoction contained the psilocybin-based "magic mushroom" remain unconfirmed.

. . .

Dr Alistair McTaggart, who has studied fungal genetics and evolution for over a decade, confirmed to SkyNews.com.au that psilocybin mushrooms are non-fatal, and there have been no fatalities in Australia from ingesting magic mushrooms.

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/expert-dismisses-speculation-of-magic-mushroom-involvement-in-death-of-rachael-dixon-53-after-consuming-drink-at-victoria-wellness-retreat/news-story/867f776bea270024c8896772fa87ea62

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

On Saturday, New Zealand woman Rachael Dixon died after allegedly consuming a drink that may have contained magic mushrooms at a creative wellbeing centre in Clunes, Victoria, Australia.

It’s led to heath authorities in Victoria, Australia, warning people to watch out for poisonous mushrooms like death caps and yellow stainer mushrooms when foraging. The warning advised people to learn how to identify wild mushrooms.

In July last year, three people died in Victoria after eating a beef Wellington believed to contain death cap mushrooms. Erin Patterson, who hosted the lunch, was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

If you think we’re safe from dangerous mushrooms here in New Zealand, think again.

 

[JBowie]

(paywalled)

Mushroom accused’s comfortable life rooted in family money tree​

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/how-erin-pattersons-family-money-helped-build-a-comfortable-life/news-story/e7a2fedf14c5e6e874b05cd4fabc53d8

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Imported mushrooms may contain deadly bacteria, but they are hardly being screened

Mushrooms imported to Australia have been linked to serious and fatal outbreaks of listeria and salmonella, but are going largely unchecked by federal authorities.

www.theage.com.au

Imported mushrooms may contain deadly bacteria, but they are hardly being screened​

Behind a paywall, I think. Posting it here for those who subscribe.