Finding Fungi in the Gold Coast Hinterland

Finding Fungi in the Gold Coast Hinterland is always interesting. This image was taken on tour, by one of the informative Tour guides leading the Southern Cross Day Tour. This particular Fungi is the rainforest “Bracket Fungi”. Bracket Fungi can cause decay and rot in the heartwood of trees and produce bracket-shaped fruiting bodies on the trunk or main branches. These fungi usually lead to the weakening and eventual breakage or fall of affected trees.

The exact number of fungal species recorded from Australia is not known, but is likely to be about 13,000. The total number of fungi which actually occur in Australia, including those not yet discovered, has been estimated at around 250,000 fungal species, including about 5,000 mushrooms. Knowledge of distribution, substrata and habitats is poor for most species, with the exception of common plant pathogens. One result of this poor knowledge is that it is often difficult or even impossible to determine whether a given fungus is a native species or an introduction. The brackets release huge quantities of wind-blown spores which germinate on wounded wood and penetrate into the heartwood, where the fungus forms an expanding pocket of rot. Any pruning which exposes heartwood will increase the likelihood of infection. Most of the fungi described as ‘brackets’ only live on and decay the heartwood, they do not infect and kill the living parts of the tree.

Your Southern Cross Day Tours guide will point out various species of Fungi as you venture along the rainforest pathways.

If you are interested in finding Fungi in the Gold Coast Hinterland, let the friendly and informative guides from Southern Cross Day Tours take you. Tours have been designed away from crowds giving you the very best chance of seeing some truly memorable flora and fauna.

It pays to book your tour in advance if travelling to the Gold Coast. Southern Cross Day Tours, are the Gold Coast Hinterland specialists and show visitors around the hinterland region daily. For further information about all tours, please visit the website www.southerncrossdaytours.com.au or call to discuss your tour arrangements 07 55 745 041.