Every year, thousands of Australians head outdoors with cameras and smartphones to take part in the Great Aussie Fungi Hunt—a nationwide citizen science event that encourages people to discover, photograph and record fungi in their local environment.
From towering forests and suburban parks to farms, deserts and coastal heathlands, the Hunt invites everyone to explore the fascinating and often overlooked world of fungi while contributing valuable scientific data about Australia’s biodiversity. The event is coordinated by Fungimap, Australia’s leading community organisation dedicated to fungi education, conservation and citizen science.
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Why Was the Great Aussie Fungi Hunt Created?
Australia’s fungi remain one of the least understood parts of our natural environment.
Scientists estimate that Australia may be home to hundreds of thousands of fungal species, yet only a fraction have been formally described. Even for known species, there are significant gaps in our understanding of where they occur, how widespread they are, and how they respond to environmental change.
With only a small number of professional mycologists working across the country, documenting Australia’s fungal diversity is a task that cannot be achieved by scientists alone. The Great Aussie Fungi Hunt was created to harness the power of citizen science, enabling everyday Australians to contribute observations that help build a better picture of the nation’s fungi.
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A Brief History
The origins of the Great Aussie Fungi Hunt can be traced back to the Great Aussie FungiQuest, launched in 2022 as a collaboration between Fungimap and QuestaGame. The project was described as Australia’s largest fungi bioblitz and aimed to encourage people nationwide to record fungi observations and contribute them to biodiversity databases.

The inaugural FungiQuest demonstrated the enormous appetite Australians have for learning about fungi and participating in citizen science. By 2023, nearly 2,000 participants had contributed more than 13,000 records representing over 1,100 species from across the country. These observations included rare species and even a fungus never previously documented in Australia.

Building on this success, Fungimap evolved the initiative into the Great Aussie Fungi Hunt, an annual national event centred around the iNaturalist platform. The Hunt continues to grow each year, attracting participants from every state and territory and generating tens of thousands of valuable biodiversity records.

In 2025 the Great Aussie Fungi Hunt had over 32,000 observations uploaded to iNaturalist from over 3,500 participants with over 1300 species recorded.
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What Is the Purpose of the Hunt?
The Great Aussie Fungi Hunt has several important objectives:

Document Australia’s Fungal Diversity
Every observation helps improve our understanding of where fungi occur and how species are distributed across the continent. This information can be used by researchers, conservation managers and land managers.

Support Scientific Research
Observations submitted during the Hunt contribute to national biodiversity databases such as the Atlas of Living Australia, providing an important resource for future research and conservation planning.

Encourage Community Learning
The Hunt provides an accessible entry point into mycology, helping people learn about fungi identification, ecology and photography while developing a deeper appreciation of nature.

Promote Fungi Conservation
Fungi are often overlooked in conservation programs despite their critical ecological roles. By increasing awareness and generating records, the Hunt helps ensure fungi are recognised as an important component of Australia’s biodiversity.

Connect People with Nature
The Hunt encourages Australians to spend time outdoors, exploring local parks, reserves, forests and even their own backyards. Participants frequently discover that fungi can be found almost anywhere.
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Why Fungi Matter
Fungi underpin healthy ecosystems. They:
• Recycle nutrients by breaking down dead plants and animals.
• Form partnerships with plants, helping forests and woodlands thrive.
• Improve soil health and productivity.
• Provide food and habitat for wildlife.
• Contribute to carbon cycling and ecosystem resilience.
• Support human wellbeing through food, medicines and biotechnology.
Without fungi, Australia’s ecosystems would look very different—and many would not function at all.
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How the Hunt Works
Participating in the Great Aussie Fungi Hunt is simple:
1. Find a fungus, lichen or slime mould.
2. Take clear photographs showing key features. Check out this downloadable guide for some tips.
3. Upload your observation to the Fungimaps Great Aussie Fungi Hunt iNaturalist project.
4. Receive assistance from the online community and experts with identification.
5. Contribute to a growing national dataset of fungal observations.

Participants range from professional scientists and experienced naturalists to families, school groups and people discovering fungi for the very first time.
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Citizen Science in Action
One of the Hunt’s greatest successes has been its ability to generate significant scientific discoveries. Observations made by participants have led to records of rare species, expanded our understanding of fungal distributions and even documented species not previously known from Australia. These discoveries demonstrate the power of citizen science and the important role that community members can play in advancing scientific knowledge.
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Join the Hunt
The Great Aussie Fungi Hunt is more than a competition or a biodiversity survey—it is a nationwide movement helping Australians discover the hidden kingdom beneath their feet.

Whether you are an experienced naturalist or simply curious about the strange and beautiful fungi growing in your neighbourhood, every observation contributes to a better understanding of Australia’s remarkable fungal diversity.