‘Everyone Knows Somebody Affected’: The Small Australian Towns Shaken by the Mushroom Murders.
Winters in Victoria’s Gippsland region are typically cold. Frost frequently blankets the landscape overnight, and the days are often grey and overcast.
But in the small, hilly town of Korumburra, the gloom hasn’t just come from the weather — the mood has remained sombre for the past two years.
Korumburra, home to around 5,000 people, is where all of Erin Patterson’s victims lived. Her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, had settled there in 1984, raising their four children in the tight-knit community. Heather Wilkinson, Gail’s sister, lived nearby with her husband Ian, the pastor of the local Baptist church.
On 29 July 2023, the four were invited to lunch at Erin’s house. Only Ian survived — but barely. He spent weeks in an induced coma and underwent a liver transplant.
On Monday, a jury dismissed Erin Patterson’s claim that she had accidentally served her guests toxic mushrooms. She was found guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
The trial, which ran for 10 weeks, attracted global media attention. But in Korumburra, many residents prefer to move on quietly.
> “It’s not easy to grieve — and even harder when the world is watching,”
> says Nathan Hersey, a cattle farmer and local shire councillor.
> “But now, there’s a chance for some closure.”
The people of Korumburra are fiercely loyal. Hersey is among the few willing to speak about the ordeal and what it has meant for the region.
> “This is the kind of place that welcomes you quickly — where you’re made to feel part of the community.”
The victims helped create that welcoming spirit. Don Patterson, a former schoolteacher, taught much of the town’s older generation.
> “People speak so fondly of Don — he was a great teacher and incredibly engaging,” Hersey says.
He also recalls many stories of Heather and Gail’s kindness and generosity.
At the Korumburra Baptist Church, a noticeboard displays a tribute to the trio:
> “Very special people who loved God and loved to bless others... We all greatly miss Heather, Don, and Gail — whether we were friends for 20 years or just a short time.”
A Ripple Effect Beyond Korumburra
But the tragedy has not only shaken Korumburra. This part of rural Victoria — dotted with small towns and hamlets — is deeply connected by shared experiences and tight-knit relationships.
In Outtrim, a small community just down the road, the mood is also sombre. Residents of Neilson Street, a quiet gravel road, were stunned to learn that death cap mushrooms — the murder weapon — may have come from their gardens.
Prosecutors used cellphone tracking and posts from the iNaturalist citizen science app to allege that Erin Patterson had foraged in two areas where the deadly fungi were spotted.
> “Everyone knows someone who’s been affected,” says Ian Thoms, who lives on a small farm on Neilson Street.
His connections span the case: his son is a police detective; his wife works with Ian Wilkinson’s daughter; and his neighbour is a friend of ‘Funky Tom’, the mushroom expert who testified in court — and who originally reported the mushroom sightings.
Fifteen minutes down the road in Leongatha, Erin Patterson’s home stands empty. She built the house with money inherited from her mother, expecting to live there forever. Now, a black tarp covers the entrance, and the grass is occasionally trimmed by wandering sheep.
Some neighbours are curious; others are simply tired of the attention. One resident even claims a tour bus recently drove past to glimpse the now-infamous property.
> “It’s bizarre,” says Gabrielle Stefani, a local resident.
> “Nothing like this has ever happened. It’s almost hard to believe.”
Her daughter, Emma Buckland, adds:
> “When you live in a small town, you know the names. Everyone grew up knowing which mushrooms are safe to eat — it’s just part of life here.”
Morwell: A Town Thrust Into the Spotlight
The town most affected in recent months, though, is Morwell — the administrative heart of the City of Latrobe and the site of the trial.
> “Usually a pretty sleepy place, Morwell has come to life,”
> says Liam Durkin, editor of the Latrobe Valley Express.
> “I never thought I’d spend weeks listening to fungi experts.”
Durkin adds that it’s unlikely the town will ever experience anything like this again.
Morwell is about a two-hour drive from Melbourne, and often feels overlooked. Before the trial, the town was already reeling — first from the closure of its power station, then the shutdown of Australia’s last white paper mill, a major local employer.
> “Older residents have struggled to find work,” one local says.
> “Many younger people have moved north to Queensland for better opportunities.”
Now, Morwell is in the national and international spotlight — a situation many find surreal.
At Jay Dees Coffee Shop, opposite the police station and courthouse, barista Laura Heller says business has doubled during the trial.
But not everyone is comfortable with the attention.
> “This town sees a lot of crime — but not like this,” Heller says.
> “Some people don’t trust the police or courts. There are deep divisions here.”
A Community Forever Changed
Back in Korumburra, what’s been truly shaken is the town’s faith in humanity.
> “This crime left three people dead,” says councillor Hersey.
> “It’s not a meme. These were real lives, and our community will never be the same.”
While the events of the past two years have at times revealed the worst in people, Hersey says they’ve also shown the best.
> “We want to be known not for this murder, but as a strong community — one that supports each other through the darkest times.