Funghi

Fungi in Victoria: Indigenous Knowledge, Ecology, and Environmental Change

MLA Educational Series – Country, Science and Ecology

Fungi are among the oldest and most diverse lifeforms on Earth, forming a hidden but vital part of the ecosystems that sustain life. In Victoria, Indigenous peoples recognised fungi not merely as “plants,” but as living entities with deep ecological, medicinal, and spiritual significance. While some species were eaten, others were valued as medicines, fire-carriers, or used in ceremonial contexts.

Before colonisation, Victoria’s landscapes — from volcanic plains to wet forests and coastal wetlands — supported an immense diversity of fungi, sustained by Indigenous land management and fire regimes. Colonisation dramatically altered these environments, reducing biodiversity and disrupting the cultural transmission of knowledge. Today, fungi are once again being understood as key indicators of ecosystem health and as carriers of Indigenous ecological wisdom.

Indigenous Knowledge of Fungi

Food

Indigenous communities across Victoria identified which fungi were edible, medicinal, or dangerous, based on generations of observation.

·       Native puffballs (Lycoperdon spp.) were eaten when young and firm, roasted in ashes or cooked on coals for a smoky, earthy flavour (Gott 2019).

·       Bracket fungi and wood fungi were occasionally consumed in times of scarcity, though careful preparation was required to avoid toxicity (Fuhrer 2005).
This knowledge reflected a precise ecological understanding: fungi were gathered only when conditions were right, ensuring sustainability and avoiding poisonous varieties.

Medicine

Fungi held recognised healing properties within Indigenous medicinal systems.

·       Bracket fungi (Ganoderma and Trametes spp.) were applied as antiseptics and poultices to wounds (Southcott 1976).

·       Dried fungi were burned to produce smoke that relieved respiratory symptoms.

·       Some species contained antibacterial compounds, predating the Western discovery of penicillin by millennia.

Such practices were widespread across Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Country, where fungi were integral to bush medicine systems based on balance between body, spirit, and Country (Clarke 2009).

Technology and Ceremony

Fungi were used in practical and spiritual ways:

·       Fire-carriers: Tree fungi such as Phellinus robustus could smoulder for hours, allowing fire to be transported safely between camps (Howitt 1904).

·       Ceremonial smoke: Burning fungi produced fragrant smoke used for cleansing people and spaces.

·       Pigments: Some fungi produced dyes for ochre mixing, fibre colouring, and ceremonial decoration.

These uses reflect the connection between fungi, fire, and renewal — principles deeply embedded in Indigenous cosmology.

Fungi on Wadawurrung Country

On Wadawurrung Country, spanning from the You Yangs and Ballarat to the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula, fungi thrived within volcanic plains, grassy woodlands, and forest edges. After autumn rains, puffballs and earthstars would emerge across grasslands, while truffle-like underground fungi formed mutual partnerships with eucalypts and casuarinas. Wadawurrung families observed these fruiting events as indicators of ecological timing — often signalling when root crops like murnong were ready to dig or when eels would begin migrating.
Tree fungi, particularly on river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), were prized as fire carriers and medicinal smokes, linking fungi directly to healing, warmth, and protection. Elders describe that the smoke from some fungi was used to cleanse the chest and clear bad spirit, especially during recovery from illness or mourning. Through these practices, fungi were both a practical resource and a teacher — reminding people of the cycles of decay, renewal, and life that underpin Country.

Other Victorian Indigenous Communities

Gunditjmara (South-West Victoria)

In Gunditjmara Country, fungi flourished along the wetlands and basalt flows of Budj Bim. They were closely linked to eel-farming systems — decomposing vegetation, nourishing wetland plants, and sustaining the aquatic food chain. The Gunditjmara recognised that healthy fungal soils produced strong reeds and sedges, vital for weaving traps and huts. Their ecological management connected fungi directly to aquaculture, food security, and cultural continuity.

Wurundjeri (Central Victoria)

In Wurundjeri forests around the Birrarung (Yarra River) and Dandenong Ranges, wood-rotting fungi and coral fungi were known for their medicinal and symbolic value. The smoke of certain fungi was used in cleansing ceremonies before community gatherings or healing rituals.
Wurundjeri oral traditions also link fungi to decomposition and transformation — processes seen as spiritually necessary for renewal and rebirth within forest ecosystems.

Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung

Across the central goldfields and highlands, Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples observed seasonal fungal growth as ecological indicators of soil health and rainfall. Fungal fruiting often coincided with the emergence of edible plants like yam daisies and lilies, reflecting the interconnection between underground networks and food abundance. The same observation continues to inform cultural fire and soil restoration practices today.

Fungi in Pre-Colonial Victorian Environments

Prior to colonisation, fungi flourished in all major ecosystems of Victoria:

·       Grasslands: Puffballs and truffle-like fungi thrived in the fertile volcanic soils of western Victoria, forming part of the seasonal food cycle.

·       Forests: Wet forests of the Otways, Central Highlands, and Gippsland supported giant bracket fungi, coral fungi, and intricate mycorrhizal networks.

·       Wetlands: Fungal–algal partnerships (lichens) enriched swamp edges, supporting insect life and maintaining soil moisture.

·       Underground fungi: Mycorrhizal species formed nutrient-sharing symbioses with native trees like eucalypts and wattles, enabling forest regeneration after fire (Robinson 2012).

Indigenous burning practices enhanced this diversity by recycling nutrients and stimulating fungal fruiting. Fire was not destruction, but renewal — ensuring the continuation of both plant and fungal life cycles (Clarke 2009).

Ecological Significance of Fungi

Fungi are the engineers of ecosystem health:

·       Decomposers: They break down organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and sustaining plant life.

·       Mycorrhizal networks: Fungi form living root systems with trees such as eucalypts and casuarinas, extending their ability to absorb water and minerals.

·       Soil builders: Underground fungi stabilise soil, enabling tuberous foods like murnong to thrive.

·       Wildlife food source: Bettongs, wallabies, and possums feed on underground fungi, dispersing spores that sustain the ecosystem.

·       Fire ecology: Many species regenerate rapidly after fire, producing fruiting bodies that stabilise post-fire soils and encourage new plant growth (Victorian National Parks Association 2021).

These roles illustrate why fungi were considered by Indigenous peoples as living relatives within Country — essential to the balance of life.

Changes Under Colonisation

Colonisation profoundly disrupted fungal ecosystems.

Habitat Loss

Deforestation, land clearing, and grazing compacted soils and destroyed fungal habitats. The removal of old-growth trees eliminated key hosts for bracket fungi and mycorrhizal species (Fuhrer 2005).

Introduced Species

European agriculture brought edible field mushrooms but also invasive pathogens such as Phytophthora cinnamomi, the fungus causing “dieback,” which devastates native vegetation across Victoria (VNPA 2021).

Ecological Imbalance

The decline of small mammals — such as bettongs and bandicoots, traditional spore dispersers — led to a reduction in fungal diversity. Introduced stock and soil disturbance further degraded underground fungal networks.

Cultural Disconnection

Displacement and mission life severed Indigenous peoples’ access to Country, halting the intergenerational teaching of fungi’s roles in food, fire, and healing. The Western classification of fungi as “non-plants” obscured their place in Indigenous ecological knowledge systems.

Fungi in Victoria Today

·       Biodiversity: More than 5,000 species of fungi are recorded in Victoria, though many remain undescribed (Fuhrer 2005).

·       Conservation: Climate change, logging, and altered fire regimes threaten fungal habitats, particularly wet forests and volcanic plains.

·       Cultural revival: Indigenous education programs — including those led by Wadawurrung, Gunditjmara, and Dja Dja Wurrung communities — are re-introducing knowledge of fungi’s roles in ceremony, ecology, and healing.

·       Scientific collaboration: Modern mycology now recognises fungi as essential to forest health, validating what Indigenous science understood for thousands of years — that all life in Country is interdependent.

The Future of Fungi and Cultural Renewal

The future of fungi in Victoria depends on uniting Indigenous knowledge with ecological science. Education programs are beginning to share Indigenous perspectives in schools and cultural centres, restoring respect for fungi as living teachers. Conservation of forests, grasslands, and wetlands is crucial to protect fungal biodiversity and soil health. Collaborative research — guided by Traditional Owners — can uncover new uses for fungi in medicine and environmental restoration.

Most importantly, any future bushfood or healing industries involving fungi must be led by Indigenous communities, ensuring that cultural authority, consent, and intellectual property are upheld (Clarke 2009; Robinson 2012). Reviving this knowledge is not only environmental stewardship — it is cultural healing, returning voice to the Country itself.

Conclusion

Fungi are not marginal organisms but the foundation of life, connecting soil, plant, animal, and spirit. For Indigenous peoples of Victoria, fungi were — and remain — food, medicine, and ceremony. In pre-colonial times, they thrived in harmony with Indigenous land management; colonisation disrupted that balance, but modern science now confirms their ecological importance. As Indigenous communities revive traditional ecological knowledge, fungi once again become teachers of resilience and renewal — restoring health to both land and people.

References

Clarke, PA 2009, Australian Aboriginal Ethnobotany: An Overview, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
Fuhrer, B 2005, A Field Guide to Australian Fungi, Bloomings Books, Melbourne.
Gott, B 2019, The Yam Daisy: A History of Aboriginal Plant Use in Victoria, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra.
Howitt, AW 1904, The Native Tribes of South-East Australia, Macmillan, London.
Robinson, R 2012, The Allure of Fungi, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
Southcott, R 1976, Medical Uses of Australian Fungi, Australian Journal of Ethnobotany, Canberra.
Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) 2021, Fungi in Victoria: Biodiversity and Conservation, VNPA, Melbourne.

Written, Researched and Directed by James Vegter (22 September 2025)

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Magic Lands Alliance acknowledges the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and First Nations communities across Australia and internationally. We honour their enduring connection to the sky, land, waters, language, and culture. We pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging, and to all First Peoples’ communities and language groups. This article draws only on publicly available information; many cultural practices remain the intellectual property of their respective communities.