Overview

• NSW Health and local councils have stepped up surveillance since the first detection of death caps in southern NSW two years ago
• Death cap mushrooms have now been found in Sydney, the Southern Highlands and southern NSW, marking a surge in reported sightings this season
• The NSW Poisons Information Centre has received 190 calls about wild mushroom exposure so far this year after fielding 363 calls in 2024
• Experts say consuming even a small piece can be fatal as symptoms may be delayed for hours and progress from vomiting and diarrhoea to liver and kidney damage
• Health authorities warn residents to avoid foraging, remove any mushrooms from yards and keep a close watch on young children playing near large trees