Leslie Massey
Magic mushrooms, or shrooms, are fungi that produce psilocybin, a psychedelic compound with effects similar to LSD. There are estimated to be 20-30 species of magic mushrooms in Australia, some native and some introduced. The most common types in Australia are golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps. They are often found in public parks, growing from pine mulch. Psilocybe cubensis, also known as a golden top, is the most well-known psilocybin mushroom due to its wide distribution and ease of cultivation. Psilocybe subaeruginosa is another species of magic mushroom found in Australia and New Zealand. It was first described in 1927 by Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland and gets its name from the blue-green colour that appears when its fruit bodies are damaged or handled.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common names | Golden tops, blue meanies, liberty caps, cubes, gold caps, shrooms |
| Scientific name | Psilocybe cubensis |
| Active compounds | Psilocybin and psilocin |
| Mushroom cap diameter | 12-50 mm |
| Mushroom cap shape | Conical to conic-convex with slightly inrolled edges when young, becomes convex, often slightly upturned, sub-gibbous, or sometimes with a small acute umbo |
| Mushroom cap texture | Slightly tacky |
| Mushroom colour | Golden |
| Mushroom colour when damaged | Blue-green |
| Mushroom habitat | Pine mulch, public parks |
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What You'll Learn
Common types: Golden tops, blue meanies, liberty caps
Golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps are some of the most common types of magic mushrooms in Australia. Magic mushrooms are psychedelic drugs that can affect all the senses, altering a person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions. They can cause hallucinations, perceptual changes, and other effects that vary from person to person. While magic mushrooms may resemble ordinary mushrooms, it is crucial to distinguish them from poisonous varieties, which can be harmful or even fatal.
Golden tops, also known as Psilocybe cubensis, are widely distributed and easy to cultivate. They are identified by their cap, which is initially brown but becomes paler toward the margin, eventually fading to golden-brown or yellowish with age. The cap is 1.6–8 cm, starting as conical to convex with a central papilla and becoming broadly convex to plane as the mushroom ages. The cap surface is smooth and sticky, sometimes with white universal veil remnants. When bruised, all parts of the mushroom stain blue. The gills are narrow and grey, darkening to purplish-black with age, while the edges remain whitish. The hollow white stipe is 4–15 cm high and becomes yellowish over time. Golden tops are commonly found on cow dung, sugar cane mulch, or rich pasture soil, particularly in tropical regions.
Blue meanies, along with golden tops and liberty caps, are commonly referred to as shrooms. While specific identification details for blue meanies are scarce, they are known to contain psilocybin and are consumed for their psychoactive effects.
Liberty caps, or Psilocybe semilanceata, are common autumn mushrooms. They contain the active ingredients psilocybin and psilocin, which can induce hallucinations and sometimes cause nausea or vomiting. Liberty caps have a cap that varies in shape, size, and colour. When young, it is translucent brown, but it becomes buff, white, grey, or silver as it dries, often with a darker bottom edge. The cap features a "nipple" that can be prominent or barely noticeable, and its underside always tucks under. Fresh liberty caps have a translucent covering that can be carefully peeled away. The gills start as light grey or black with a lighter edge and gradually darken to a very dark purple or black as the spores are released. Liberty caps have been illegal to pick, prepare, consume, or sell in certain regions since 2005 due to their classification as a controlled substance.
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Similar to poisonous mushrooms
Magic mushrooms, or mushrooms that contain the psychoactive compound psilocybin, can look very similar to poisonous mushrooms. In Australia, there are an estimated 20-30 species of magic mushrooms, some native and some introduced. The most common ones are called golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps.
The main risk of consuming magic mushrooms is mistaking them for poisonous mushrooms, which can cause illness and even death. There is no reliable way to distinguish between edible and poisonous mushrooms without expert knowledge. Poisonous mushrooms can cause a range of symptoms, including hallucinations, gastrointestinal issues, and in severe cases, liver and kidney damage, or death.
One of the most well-known poisonous mushrooms in Australia is the Death Cap (Amanita phalloides), which is responsible for 90% of deaths from mushroom poisoning worldwide. It has a distinct appearance, often illustrated in fairy tales, with a red cap and white spots. Other poisonous mushrooms in Australia include Galerina, Gyromitra, Lepiota, and Cortinarius, which have similar toxins to the Death Cap.
It is crucial to be cautious when consuming any type of mushroom. If you are unsure about the identity of a mushroom, it is best to avoid consuming it. If you suspect that you or someone else has ingested a poisonous mushroom, seek immediate medical attention and contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre for advice.
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Dried material in capsules
Magic mushrooms, or psilocybin, are illegal to possess or supply in Australia. They are considered a Schedule 9 substance, a prohibited substance according to the Commonwealth Poisons Standard. Despite this, their use is common, with the National Drug Strategy Household Survey finding in 2019 that 61% of people who had used hallucinogens in the previous 12 months had used magic mushrooms.
Magic mushrooms can look similar to ordinary mushrooms, but they often also resemble poisonous mushrooms, which can be dangerous. The most common types of magic mushrooms in Australia are golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps. Golden tops are a variety of Psilocybe cubensis. Psilocybe subaeruginosa is another species of magic mushroom found in Australia and New Zealand.
There are not many known withdrawal effects from magic mushrooms, but some people who regularly use them may experience flashbacks, which are usually visual distortions involving changes in emotions or perception. These can occur weeks, months, or even years after the drug was last taken and can be triggered by stress, tiredness, or exercise.
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Legal status in Australia
The legal status of magic mushrooms in Australia has been the subject of recent changes and ongoing debate. As of July 1, 2023, magic mushrooms and psilocybin are legal in Australia when prescribed by authorised psychiatrists for specific conditions. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) permits the use of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, and MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, for all other uses, psilocybin remains a prohibited substance with severe penalties for possession or supply based on quantity.
Psilocybin is a Schedule 9 substance, considered 'prohibited' under the Commonwealth Poisons Standard. While magic mushroom spores and grow kits are legal to possess, as they do not contain psilocybin, cultivating magic mushrooms from these spores is illegal. The Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 categorises drug quantities with increasing penalties, and offences involving commercial quantities are 'strictly indictable', meaning they are heard before the District Court.
In Victoria, psilocybin is considered a 'drug of dependence' under the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981. Possession, use, or attempted use of psilocybin is criminalised and can result in imprisonment and/or a substantial fine. The National Drug Strategy Household Survey noted an increase in hallucinogen use since 2001, with magic mushrooms being the most common hallucinogen used.
There has been renewed interest in the benefits of psychedelics like psilocybin, with advocacy groups pushing for reclassification as a controlled medicine. While applications for reclassification have been rejected pending further trials, psilocybin use is currently legal in clinical trials and psychedelic-assisted therapies funded by the Australian government.
In terms of appearance, magic mushrooms in Australia often resemble ordinary mushrooms and can be mistaken for poisonous varieties, which can be dangerous. The most common types found in Australia are golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps.
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Effects and risks
Magic mushrooms contain the hallucinogenic compound psilocybin, which when ingested reduces brain activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the part of the brain believed to contain our sense of "self". The effects of magic mushrooms usually begin within 30 minutes when eaten or within 5–10 minutes when taken as soup or tea and can last approximately four to six hours.
There are many different types of magic mushrooms, with at least 30 types of psilocybin mushrooms found in Australia. The most common ones in Australia are called golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps. They can also come in dried material in capsules. Synthetic psilocybin appears as a white crystalline powder that can be processed into tablets or capsules or dissolved in water.
The main risk of taking magic mushrooms is that some look very similar to certain types of poisonous mushrooms, which can cause liver or kidney failure and even death. About 9 out of 10 fungi-related deaths are attributable to the death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides). Other risks include bad trips, which can lead to negative experiences such as loss of control and unconscious behaviour. Tolerance develops rapidly with continued use, resulting in the drug having little to no effect over time. There may also be mild psychological withdrawal effects or feelings of tiredness.
In terms of benefits, there is growing interest in the therapeutic potential of magic mushrooms. Studies have shown that psilocybin, when combined with psychotherapy, can effectively reduce anxiety and depression in patients with terminal cancer. Clinical trials are currently underway to explore the use of psilocybin in palliative care to provide patients with a new perspective and reduce their fear and depression.
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Frequently asked questions
Magic mushrooms look similar to ordinary mushrooms. The most common types found in Australia are golden tops, blue meanies, and liberty caps. They can also come in the form of dried material in capsules.
Yes, there are many different types of magic mushrooms. In Australia, there are an estimated 20-30 species, some native and some introduced. Psilocybe subaeruginosa, also known as golden tops, is a species of magic mushroom native to Australia and New Zealand. Psilocybe cubensis, also known as gold caps, is another species of magic mushroom found in Australia.
Magic mushrooms are fungi that produce psilocybin, a psychoactive compound with effects similar to LSD. Psilocybin has been shown to have potential benefits for treating mental health disorders.
No, the cultivation, manufacture, possession, use, and supply of psilocybin are illegal throughout Australia.
