Ghost Mushroom Lane

Ghost Mushroom Lane – closed from midnight 30 June

Ghost Mushroom Lane is a seasonal forest tourism experience proudly presented during May and June annually.

Scroll down to secure your access pass, more information, maps, photographer’s guide and images, or to book your guided mushroom tour.

Proud winner of the Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce
Outstanding Business Awards “Tourism” award 2018

Get an access pass and plan your visit

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. It is open in May and June, during the annual Ghost Mushroom season.

Before visiting the site, you must obtain an access pass. Passes can be booked and paid for online via the button below.

To comply with SA Government COVID-19 regulations and assist with contract tracing, all visitors to the lane must check-in on arrival using the mySA GOV app. A manual sign-in option will also be provided for those unable to use the app.

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.

GET AN ACCESS PASS

How to get there

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.

DOWNLOAD A MAP

About Ghost Mushroom Lane - a unique after-dark forest experience

A luminous mushroom can be found growing in local pine forest during May and June each year.

ForestrySA is pleased to offer you the chance to experience the brilliant glow first hand at seasonal visitor site, Ghost Mushroom Lane.

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!

An estimated 65,000 people have visited Ghost Mushroom Lane during the last three seasons, creating significant media exposure for the Limestone Coast region. See media below:

South Aussie with Cosi
The Living Room, with Dr Chris Brown (story features at 2 minutes 45 seconds)
The Living Room, with Dr Chris Brown – fact sheet
Channel 7 News
Totally Wild (story features at 19 minutes 23 seconds)
Australia’s Science Channel

Book a Ghost Mushroom Lane tour!

Let our forest guides show you the way

Guided tours are available for those who want to learn more and get the most from their visit to Ghost Mushroom Lane.

A range of tours are available to book throughout the Ghost Mushroom season (May and June annually).

They are run by an commercial tour operator and provide the opportunity to view and photograph the luminous fungi up close, in a safe, friendly environment.

Fees apply.

BOOK A TOUR

Ghost Mushroom 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.

Remember to check back regularly and stay up to date on Ghost Mushroom season.

VIEW WALKING TRAILS

Plan your visit: How the moon will affect your viewing experience

Did you know your Ghost Mushroom viewing experience is directly influenced by the phase of the moon?

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.

Make sure you plan your trip in advance using the moonrise, moonset and phase calendar below.

View the moon phase calendar

Bring your camera and share the love on social

As always, we encourage forest visitors to bring their cameras along to record and share their forest experience.

While producing clear shots in the dead of night can be tricky, thanks to well known local photographer and nature enthusiast Ockert le Roux, it has never been more simple.

Ockert has kindly put together a technical guide to would-be photographers capture the best possible shots of the ghost mushroom. Just scroll down to the bottom of this page to have a read.

We would love to see how much you enjoyed Ghost Mushroom Lane. Be sure to share your experience on social media and let others know about this unique opportunity.

Be sure to add the hashtags below to help others find your images:
#GhostMushroom #GhostMushroomLane #OmphalotusNidiformis #MountGambier #LimestoneCoast #ForestrySA #Fungi #Forest #GreenTriangle #DiscoverMountGambier

Photographing the Ghost Mushroom

A guide by photographer Ockert le Roux

Photographing the Ghost Mushroom in the cold, dark forest environment is no easy feat.

Capture the best shots possible, with this purpose-written guide courtesy of local photographer and nature enthusiast Ockert le Roux.

Ockert is credited with bringing the mushroom to our attention and is well known for his stunning imagery, so you know you’re in expert hands!

VIEW THE GUIDE

Your safety is important to us - please take care exploring at night

Please be aware that Ghost Mushroom Lane is located within a working commercial pine forest and entry is undertaken at your own risk.

The ground is irregular and uneven, with loose surfaces.

As the Ghost Mushroom can only be seen after dark, visibility is also poor.

This experience is suited to people with an average level of fitness. Warm clothes, sensible closed-toe footwear and a torch are a must.

Merchandise available now

Want a lasting memento of your visit to Ghost Mushroom Lane?

A range of glow-in-the-dark T-shirts, beanies and torches are available now.

VIEW THE RANGE

Thank you to our our presenting partner

Thank you to OneFortyOne for helping us present this unique forest experience!

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We want to hear from you!

We hope you enjoyed your visit to the forest and would love to receive your feedback.

Please click the link below let us know what you think.

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