Woman Dies After Consuming Suspected Magic Mushroom Drink at Wellness Event in Clunes

A tragic incident unfolded at a wellness event in Clunes, as Rachael Dixon, a health practitioner originally from New Zealand before relocating to Melbourne, passed away after consuming a suspected magic mushroom drink. The 53-year-old, who resided in Ringwood North, was attending an event at the Soul Barn Creative Wellbeing Centre when the incident occurred.

Following the distressing events, Dixon’s son, Matthew Mountain, posted a heartfelt tribute to his mother on Facebook, expressing his deep sorrow and gratitude for her love and support over the years. Dixon’s sister, Penny Muller-Dixon, also shared her profound grief on social media, urging everyone to cherish their loved ones.

Jude Darmanin, a beauty therapist and herbalist scheduled to host a skincare clinic at Soul Barn that weekend, took to social media to clarify that she was not present at the time of the incident. The circumstances surrounding Dixon’s death are under investigation by the Victorian Coroner, with detectives from the Moorabool unit looking into the matter.

Dr. Jonathan Karro, the director of emergency medicine at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, highlighted the risks associated with ingesting mushrooms, cautioning against foraging for them unless one is an expert. Differentiating between safe and toxic varieties, especially when it comes to psychedelic mushrooms, can be challenging and potentially life-threatening.

The Department of Health issued a warning earlier this month regarding the dangers of consuming wild mushrooms, particularly emphasizing the lethal potential of death cap and yellow-staining mushrooms. Individuals are urged to exercise extreme caution when handling and consuming mushrooms of unknown origin, as the consequences can be severe, including fatality.