We went to Macedon Plantation over the weekend, about an hour drive from Melbourne. Parking is just along the roadside, better to go earlier to find a spot easily.
Macedon Plantation
As soon as we walked into the pine forest, everything felt quiet. The ground was covered with thick pine needles, soft to walk on, and the air felt really fresh.
The biggest surprise was how many mushrooms there were. Literally everywhere. Different colours and shapes, some looked like little umbrellas, some like flowers. Really nice for photos.
Mushroom picking experience
Most mushrooms we saw were not edible, even though many looked really nice. There were a lot of unknown types and some that looked “edible” but actually risky, so we didn’t touch them.
We only picked pine mushrooms. They usually grow under pine trees, orange to brown in colour, and have a pine smell. When picking, you need to gently move the pine needles to find them underneath. It actually feels like treasure hunting, especially fun for kids.
We also saw some boletus, but since we’re not very experienced, we only carefully picked a small amount of the types we were confident about.
At the start we walked through some wetter areas and ran into quite a few leeches. Later we moved into drier pine forest and found more mushrooms. We also saw some horses along the way, very friendly and would walk towards us when we got close.
Tips
Wear non-slip shoes because the ground can be wet and slippery. Bring gloves as it’s easier when moving pine needles. It’s colder than the city so dress a bit warmer. Only pick mushrooms you are 100% sure about.
Even though we didn’t pick a lot, it was still a really relaxing and enjoyable day. It’s a nice weekend option if you just want something slow and close to nature.