Ghost Mushroom Lane in Mount Gambier
UPDATE JUNE 2023: Ghost Mushroom Lane is currently closed until further notice, due to low numbers of ghost mushrooms. They hope to reopen later in the season. Access Pass bookings are closed and all current pass holders will be refunded. However, the site is still open for those wanting to hunt for themselves. Check back on the Forestry SA website for updates.
Ghost Mushroom Lane is a seasonal forest tourism experience proudly presented during May and June each year.
The Ghost Mushroom Lane visitor site is located within a known mushroom breeding ground, among commercial pine forest near Glencoe, just 16km from Mount Gambier in South Australia. It is open in May and June, during the annual Ghost Mushroom season.
What is a Ghost Mushroom?
The Ghost Mushroom (Omphalotus nidiformis) is a bioluminescent fungus that emits a soft green glow at night. The species is native to Australia and can often be found growing on decaying plant material, such as stumps left behind following pine tree harvest. The mushrooms emerge in late autumn following good rain and continue into winter, reaching a size of up to 20cm wide.
The soft green glow is a result of a chemical reaction between fungal enzymes and oxygen. The Ghost Mushroom glow can be bright enough to read the words on a page.
Plan Your Visit:
Before visiting the site, you must obtain an ACCESS PASS. Passes can be booked and paid for online via the button below.
Passes cost $20 per vehicle and provide all passengers on board with direct after-dark access to the forest and the eerie glow within.
Session times:
- 3 hours – 4pm to 7pm
- 2 hours – 7pm to 9pm
- 3 hours – 9pm to 11:59pm
Ghost Mushroom Lane is open to the public from 4pm until midnight every night during the season. The site is closed during the day for maintenance and safety checks.
Visitors keen to exit their cars to see the mushrooms up close, should wear warm clothes, sensible shoes and bring a torch to help navigate the forest trails and uneven ground.
For the enjoyment of others, please leave the mushrooms exactly as you found them. The chemical in the mushroom responsible for the glow can be poisonous, causing cramps and vomiting if ingested. Accidental touching is not harmful.
Please observe the conditions of entry to the forest and take care while walking on uneven ground in the dark.
Please note: Ghost Mushroom Lane is not suitable for buses, caravans, campervans or trailers. Car parking is available out the front. Commercial bus tour operators must contact ForestrySA in advance to arrange access.
Central Walking Trails:
A series of walking trails are established in pine forest just off the lane-way, within Ghost Mushroom Central during the season.
The Fairy Tale Hollow, Fungi Hunter Alley, Ghostly Gully and the Neon Forest trails have been marked out in known mushroom hot-spots, helping visitors find their way in the dark.
The location of these walks will change throughout the season as mushroom colonies die off and others emerge.
Location:
Ghost Mushroom Lane is a 2.3km stretch of roadway located within OneFortyOne Plantations commercial pine forest near Glencoe, just 16km North West of Mount Gambier.
From the Riddoch Highway / Princes Highway Roundabout (near Mount Gambier Visitor and Discovery Centre, Mount Gambier), drive along the Princes Highway towards Millicent.
After 12km, turn right on Kangaroo Flat Road and drive for a further 4.3 km, before turning right into Ghost Mushroom Lane.
Signage is clearly visible from the road.
VIEW THE MAP HERE or DOWNLOAD THE MAP HERE
When to Visit:
A full moon will substantially diminish the appearance of the mushroom’s glow. The darker the night, the brighter the Ghost Mushroom will appear to the naked eye and the better experience you will enjoy.
You can plan your trip in advance using the moonrise, moonset and phase calendar.
See the video below:
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Forestry SA website.
What: Glow in the Dark Ghost Mushrooms
When: May and June (every year)
Where: Ghost Mushroom Lane | near Glencoe, Mt Gambier (see instructions above)
Who: Everyone
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: Forestry SA
More to See & Do in Mt Gambier:
Blue Lake/Warwar | Mount Gambier
Metro Bakery & Cafe | Mount Gambier
Umpherston Sinkhole/Balambul | Mount Gambier
Valley Lake Playground | Mt Gambier
Old Mt Gambier Gaol | Family-friendly Accommodation | Review
Glow in the Dark Ghost Mushrooms | Mount Gambier | May & June
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