The business offers beauty treatments,tarot readings,reiki,acupuncture and other alternative therapies. It also hosts occasional events and retreats.

“Soul Barn is a cohesive,safe,prosperous,and happy place,” the website says. “We value,support and promote openness through acceptance and continuous practice with self and others.”

Soul Barn owner Michelle Mullins declined to comment when contacted byThe Age.

“Moorabool crime investigation unit detectives are investigating the circumstances following the death of a woman in Clunes[on Sunday,14 April],” a police spokeswoman said.

“The 53-year-old Ringwood North woman died at the scene. Investigations remain ongoing and police will prepare a report for the coroner.”

Toxicologist Dr Jonathan Karro,speaking about the potential dangers of mushrooms in general and not about this specific case,said differentiating between dangerous and safe or edible varieties was extremely challenging and he would advise anyone against trying to pick them unless they were a mycologist (a mushroom expert).

Karro,the director of emergency medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne,said the most common mushroom-related cases at his hospital were caused by psilocybin mushrooms,or magic mushrooms,which people had bought or picked from the wild.

He said it was rare – but not unheard of – for people who foraged for psychedelic mushrooms to accidentally ingest poisonous ones.

In Victoria,these deadly mushrooms include yellow-staining mushrooms and death cap mushrooms,which emerge in autumn.

“People get into trouble because different species of mushroom can be growing in the same area. So you can even pick a few mushrooms,and most of them are psychedelic,but[you can’t guarantee] that there isn’t a more poisonous or deadly mushroom as well,” he said.

Karro said it was unusual for people to die from ingesting the active ingredient of magic mushrooms,but people did come to harm because of their altered behaviour or after experiencing frightening hallucinations.

On April 5,the Department of Health put out a public service warning about the dangers of picking and eating wild mushrooms,particularly the severe health threat posed by death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) and yellow-staining mushrooms (Agaricus xanthodermus).

“Anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness. Consuming a death cap mushroom may result in death,” the alert said.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online atwww.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

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