BOOK LAUNCH, TALK AND DINNER

Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi

Explore the dazzling underground world of fungi in an intimate and interactive discussion and meal with ecologist and author Alison Pouliot.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: MONDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2023

TIME: 6:30pm–8pm

$50 with 2-course seasonal set menu of mushroom dishes
$80 with 2-course seasonal set menu of mushroom dishes + book

VENUE: The Moat at the Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000

THIS EVENT IS FULLY BOOKED BUT TO JOIN THE WAIT LIST PLEASE EMAIL: ticketing@wheelercentre.com

Or see further events HERE including CERES, Brunswick East on Friday 17 March.

BOOK LAUNCH

Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi

Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination.

Alison’s new book, Underground Lovers presents compelling questions and insights about fungi but is also an intimate celebration of their astonishing beauty and complexity.

It melds science and personal reflection to explore overlooked themes, among them – fungi and fire, fungi and climate change, fungi and aesthetics, fungi in ecosystem restoration, and fungi and indigenous wisdom. The book explores fungi through first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains. We’ll dwell with fungal allies and aliens, discover how fungi hold forests together, and why humans are deeply entwined with these unruly renegades of the subterrain.

What can we learn from the lives of fungi? Underground Lovers brings us to our knees, magnifier in hand, to find out.

Join us for this launch of Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi to hear some stories from Alison’s adventures during the writing of the book.

Refreshments available for purchase.

This event is sponsored by Newham & District Landcare Group. Door prizes kindly donated by Curly Flat Winery.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: FRIDAY 3 MARCH 2023

TIME: 6pm–8pm

VENUE: Newham Hall, 1292 Rochford Rd, Newham

BOOKINGS: No cost to attend but please book with Joanne on 0412 903 388 or stubbs.joanne@gmail.com

BOOK LAUNCH

Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi

Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination.

Alison’s new book, Underground Lovers presents compelling questions and insights about fungi but is also an intimate celebration of their astonishing beauty and complexity.

It melds science and personal reflection to explore overlooked themes, among them – fungi and fire, fungi and climate change, fungi and aesthetics, fungi in ecosystem restoration, and fungi and indigenous wisdom. The book explores fungi through first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains. We’ll dwell with fungal allies and aliens, discover how fungi hold forests together, and why humans are deeply entwined with these unruly renegades of the subterrain.

What can we learn from the lives of fungi? Underground Lovers brings us to our knees, magnifier in hand, to find out.

Join us for this launch of Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi to hear some stories from Alison’s adventures during the writing of the book in conversation with local writer and lawyer, Tony Kelly, and enjoy a celebratory glass of bubbles.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH 2023

TIME: 6pm–7:30pm

VENUE: Radius Art Gallery, 76 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs VIC

BOOKINGS: No cost to attend but please book HERE

BOOK LAUNCH

Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi

Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination.

Alison’s new book, Underground Lovers presents compelling questions and insights about fungi but is also an intimate celebration of their astonishing beauty and complexity.

It melds science and personal reflection to explore overlooked themes, among them – fungi and fire, fungi and climate change, fungi and aesthetics, fungi in ecosystem restoration, and fungi and indigenous wisdom. The book explores fungi through first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains. We’ll dwell with fungal allies and aliens, discover how fungi hold forests together, and why humans are deeply entwined with these unruly renegades of the subterrain.

What can we learn from the lives of fungi? Underground Lovers brings us to our knees, magnifier in hand, to find out.

Join us for this launch of Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi to hear some stories from Alison’s adventures during the writing of the book in conversation with legendary RRR radio presenter, Amy Mullins from Uncommon Sense.

This event is sponsored by CERES Community Environment Park.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: FRIDAY 17 MARCH 2023

TIME: 6pm–7:30pm

VENUE: CERES Community Environment Park, Stewart St & Roberts St, Roberts St, Brunswick East VIC

COST: Free to attend but please book

BOOKINGS

SEMINAR/WORKSHOP – The fascinating world of fungi

Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination.

Although little known, the roots of almost every plant in the Australian landscape are intimately entwined with fungi. These clandestine relationships extend beyond trees to include every orchid and most shrubs and grasses. Symbioses are the secret to success in our highly variable climate and nutrient-deficient soils.

Fungi not only help plants access water and nutrients, but also increase their resistance to drought and disease. They build architecture in soils, aerate them, and allow water to gently percolate to deeper horizons. They offer a vital buffer against the effects of climate change. Despite this, ‘the third F’ slips through ideas about nature and conservation that focus on flora and fauna.  Fungi not only contravene the frameworks we use to understand life, but also inspire the innovative thinking needed to navigate an uncertain future.

The workshop begins with the opportunity for participants to explore a specimen table of mushrooms and other fungus resources. This is followed by an illustrated and interactive seminar where Alison will share insights from over two decades spent in the field with fungi, both locally and across hemispheres. She will also share some of the first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains – experienced during the writing of her new book, Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi.

This is followed by a question and answer session and conversation and concludes with the opportunity for participants to purchase a signed copy of Alison’s books, The Allure of Fungi, Wild Mushrooming and Underground Lovers.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: WEDNESDAY 22 MARCH 2023

TIME: 7:00pm – 9:30pm

VENUE: Old Cheese Factory, 34 Homestead Road, Berwick Victoria 3806

COST: $10-

JOIN WAITING LIST

BOOK LAUNCH

Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 2023

TIME: 5:30pm – 6:30pm

VENUE: RACV Hobart Hotel, 154-156 Collins Street, Hobart, Tasmania

COST: $10

BOOKINGS

BOOK LAUNCH

Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi

Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination.

Alison’s new book, Underground Lovers presents compelling questions and insights about fungi but is also an intimate celebration of their astonishing beauty and complexity.

It melds science and personal reflection to explore overlooked themes, among them – fungi and fire, fungi and climate change, fungi and aesthetics, fungi in ecosystem restoration, and fungi and indigenous wisdom. The book explores fungi through first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains. We’ll dwell with fungal allies and aliens, discover how fungi hold forests together, and why humans are deeply entwined with these unruly renegades of the subterrain.

What can we learn from the lives of fungi? Underground Lovers brings us to our knees, magnifier in hand, to find out.

Join us for this launch of Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi to hear some stories from Alison’s adventures during the writing of the book and enjoy a celebratory glass of bubbles.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: THURSDAY 30 MARCH 2023

TIME: 6pm – 7:30pm

VENUE: Bicheno Memorial Hall, 78 Burgess St, Bicheno,  TAS

BOOKINGS: No cost to attend but please book HERE

SLOW MUSHROOMING

Fungi are diverse, delicious and sometimes deadly. With interest in foraging for wild food on the rise, learning to accurately identify fungi reduces both poisoning risk to humans and harm to the environment.

Developing the skills to find fungi requires slowness, not speed. The workshop will focus on assisting participants to identify a few edible species thoroughly, rather than many superficially. We will engage multiple senses to examine the major diagnostic features of edible fungi alongside their toxic lookalikes.

We will also follow the principles of ‘ecological foraging’ – an approach based on care, conservation and an understanding of ecosystem dynamics.

Following an interactive indoor identification session around a specimen table we will then head to a private property to search for edible fungi.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

DATE: SUNDAY 9 APRIL 2023

TIME: 10:00 – 3:00

VENUE: MALDON

COST: $195 includes lunch and a copy of Wild Mushrooming: A Guide for Foragers

Limited to 8 places – book soon!

SEMINAR – A KINGDOM OF CONUNDRUMS

As part of the Moorabool Mushroom Festival Alison will be presenting a talk – A Kingdom of Conundrums

The Kingdom Fungi is a kingdom of conundrums. For some people, fungi are unnerving. Perplexing. Enigmatic. Being ephemeral, they rouse suspicions and associations with the supernatural. But mostly, fungi are overlooked. Forgotten. However, a growing public penchant for fungi suggests we are in something of a ‘fungal turn’. An emerging league of mycophiles is exploring into the many dimensions of the Kingdom Fungi, and unearthing not only their myriad benefits to humans, but how they hang the planet together.

In this talk Alison will delve into some of the curiosities of the Kingdom Fungi and share some of her experiences during the writing of her recent book, Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

This event is sponsored by MYCOMMUNITY.

For more information about the Festival visit Moorabool Mushroom Festival.

SUNDAY 16 APRIL 2023

BOOKINGS

VISIT MOORABOOL MUSHROOM FESTIVAL

SEMINAR & BOOK LAUNCH

Underground Lovers – Encounters with Fungi

Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination.

Alison’s new book, Underground Lovers presents compelling questions and insights about fungi but is also an intimate celebration of their astonishing beauty and complexity. It melds science and personal reflection to explore overlooked themes, among them – fungi and fire, fungi and climate change, fungi and aesthetics, fungi in ecosystem restoration, and fungi and indigenous wisdom. The book explores fungi through first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains – where we encounter glowing ghost fungi and the enigma of the lobster mushroom. We’ll dwell with fungal allies and aliens, discover how fungi hold forests together, and why humans are deeply entwined with these unruly renegades of the subterrain.

What can we learn from the lives of fungi? Underground Lovers brings us to our knees, magnifier in hand, to find out.

Join us for this launch of Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi to hear some stories from Alison’s adventures during the writing of the book. Delight in a display of local fungi. Then stay for supper and take part in an interactive discussion of the importance of fungi in ecosystem restoration and Landcare initiatives.

Further workshops can be viewed at this link.

This event is sponsored by the Mid Loddon Catchment Management Network.

DATE: TUESDAY 18 APRIL 2023

TIME: 7pm–9pm

VENUE: Lockwood South & District Community Hall, 784 Calder Alternate Hwy, Lockwood South VIC 3551

BOOKINGS: Judy Crocker – jcroc22@gmail.com

COST: gold coin donation