Figure 1. The best places near Sydney for mushroom picking.

Hands down the best place to go mushroom picking in Sydney is one of the many pine forests dotted in and around the city. The best mushrooms grow in pine forests, just type "pine forests Sydney" into Google maps and you will see the above map. If you are looking for gourmet mushrooms, initially, you should only gather only 2 kinds of mushrooms. The Saffron Milk Cap and Slippery Jack (see below) are the safest and most readily identifiable however, you should be aware of common look-a-likes and potentially disorientating NSW magic mushrooms.

Figure 2. Saffron Milk Cap (left) and Slippery Jack (right)

In our opinion, the months of March and April are ideal for mushroom hunting in NSW woodlands. In February and into May, mushrooms can be discovered if the weather is favourable for them, which is defined as being slightly chilly but not freezing and highly damp. Prior to entering the forest, it's always good check the recent rainfall totals as Milk Caps require significantly less rain than Slippery Jacks.

If you would like to learn more about how to safely identify mushrooms in and around Sydney, just click the link to access our Certified Australian Mushroom Course.

We often get a wide range of questions from Sydney siders looking to go Mushroom Picking, here are our 5 most common frequently asked questions...

1. How do you know when is a good time to go mushrooming? What are the signs of a successful outing so that you have a better chance to find pine mushrooms?

• At the end of Summer, or even early Autumn, and it rains, and all of a sudden your garden's mycelium comes to life

2. What are the most popular mushrooms in / near Sydney?

• The two most popular edible mushrooms in Australia are Pine edible mushrooms (Suillus luteus) and Saffron milk caps (Lactarius delicious). Not all states allow the harvesting of mushrooms on public land, but in New South Wales and Victoria it is fine as long as it is not for commercial purposes. Take a day off, jump into a car and head to your nearest pine forest!

3. What is the relationship between rain and Sydney mushroom picking?

• Mushrooms need a soaking to get the fruiting body of the mycelia (the mushrooms) grow and prosper.
• Even just gentle rain, but regular, is what's going to make the difference.

4. What about Sydney Temperature and mushroom picking?

• The ideal temperature for our prized mushrooms is between 0 and 12 degrees.
• If it is not cold enough, the mycelia would not start fruiting, and if it gets too cold for too long, the system shuts down.

5. What are the best mushroom picking areas in and around Sydney area?

• Wolli creek - very close, urban. 
• Mangrove mountain. 
• North Lane cove national park. 
• Waterfall on the southern line near Nowra.
• Millionth Acer Rest Area, Hampton Forest Picnic Area, Hampton.
• Further out: West of the mountains or south (Belanglo).
• Further out: Oberon Cow pastures - look for grassy woodchip areas.