When our world began to shrink in February, many people thought it would be short-lived and we would return to normal before long. As the borders to more and more countries were closing, and then sweeping travel bans came in, travel became increasingly less likely. Now, in Australia, and in particular in Melbourne, not only are we land locked in our country’s border, we are also locked down by State borders and within Metropolitan Melbourne borders also. There are so many barriers to travelling, it is hard to imagine being able to go anywhere for sometime. We cancelled a trip to Japan, and this will be the first year of many that we will not visit. The inspiration, wonder and awe I experience through travel seemed completely unattainable by the end of March. Then I discovered something literally in my own backyard, but more broadly in the forests around my neighbourhood, that completely changed my lockdown experience.

The first time I saw a toadstool, an Amanita Muscaria, the red ones, with white spots that look like fairies should be living in them (or Smurfs) I flipped out. They are so beautiful that it is hard to fathom their reality, they look like something from a fantasy or a dream. That year, myself and my then 4 year old daughter, would walk our dog and “hunt mushrooms” at the same time. We would often find interesting ones, and I was really surprised by the variety, we live in a temperate rainforest, and I would sometimes take photos. As the years went by, and my walking in the forest increased, I would drive my friends a little crazy during the fungi season. Fascinated by the growth, intrigued by the “danger” and completely awe-inspired by the beauty. It was always a side-line passion, that would rear it’s interest in Autumn and then, once again, become dormant throughout the year, over-run by busyness, other interests and life in general.

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This year was different. 2020 has been a very strange year for everyone. I would hazard that not one single person in our nearly 8 billion population has not been somehow affected by the Coronavirus. Our year has been pretty tumultuous. Starting with the bushfires, then the poor air quality and then quickly spiralling into pandemic, leading to remote learning, I found myself at home, 24/7, with my beloved Super Sake Boy and our (combined) four teenagers. This has been a very interesting time. I have, of occasion, suffered from anxiety and I knew that one of the things that would keep us sane was walking in our beloved forest. We are surrounded by it, and I generally walk in the forest most days. Sometimes for short walks, sometimes a bit longer. Freedom and an opportunity to spend some private time drove Super Sake Boy and I out the door and into the forest nearly every day. Often for two, three or even four hours. Sometimes walking 20kms. It was our sanity saving secret weapon. Nature.

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Spending more time in the forest this year, and actually not just having some spare time, but also not being able to go anywhere else has been a blessing in disguise. We have had unprecedented rainfall, beginning in January, and falling, steadily for most of the year so far. This has led to an amazing year for fungi. Fungi love the damp and the forest has been damp for many months. I postulate that the conditions have provided the perfect environment for the fungi and the beautiful variety I have seen this year has been incredible. Kind of like the first time I stuck my head under the water while snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, a completely new world opened up to me, and drew me in, so utterly, that my life began revolving around finding and photographing fungi.

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My favourite fungi album in my photos contains nearly 1000 photos. Not only have the mushrooms and other fungi been inspiring muses, the process of photographing them, learning how to best capture them, constructing interesting and eye-catching compositions, has been an excellent way to hone my photography skills. The season is, sadly nearly over. There are still some fungi emerging, but not the variety we had in April, May and June. I recently received a macro lens for my lovely little Sony a5100, a much lusted after addition to my lens collection, graciously gifted me by Super Sake Boy. I say graciously, as my partner-in-crime has been deeply affected by my fungi obsession. Not only does it slow many of our walks to a snails pace, apparently I am somewhat like a toddler who points out every fungi that we see… So, he has gifted me, once again, not only an excellent and incredibly useful gift, but also the gift of patience, time and tolerance. I addition to encouragement and interest, Super Sake Boy is an incredible enabler, spotting fungi from such a distance with his super laser corrected vision. He really is my perfect partner. I am very lucky to be locked down with someone I never tire of speaking to, am always amused and fascinated by, and who I love sharing time and life with.

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So, I feel like I have switched travel on a planetary scale, to travelling into the tiny world of mycology. Fungi are a seperate kingdom from animal and plants, as they grow by digesting other material, not photosynthesis. Previously considered an aspect of botany, mycology is now regarded as a branch of biology, as fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants. They are the decomposers of our ecosystem, they enable fermentation, they provide antibiotics and are used as biological pesticides. They are often toxic and sometime psychotropic. There are some 70 fungal species that exhibit bioluminescence. They reproduce both sexually and asexually. Fungi are so fascinating and I look forward to learning more about them and to enjoying using my new lens for upcoming fungi seasons, in Melbourne, and hopefully abroad.

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The mental health benefit I have gained from my foray in to the world of fungi is probably not measurable. However, to be able to look at this time of lock down, of restriction of movement and of fear circulating in our communities with gratitude, awe and wonder is an amazing gift. The positive effect on mental acuity from learning about something new, the newfound fungi friends and groups on social media that I have connected with during a period of isolation has also been beneficial. All the photos I have added are my own.

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