It was with some relief that I arrived at the mushroom tunnel in Bowral. Pockets of early morning mist had been swirling in front of me as I drove through the Southern Highlands, some patches so dense that I had to slow to a crawl.

Microbiologist Noel Arrold

By the time I reached the tunnel, the mist had lifted to reveal a clear blue sky.  Noel Arrold, owner of the Li Sun Exotic Mushroom Farm, was standing by the gate in his lab coat, waiting to show me through me the abandoned railway tunnel where he grows thousands of exotic mushrooms.
“I’ve been growing exotic Asian varieties for 23 years,” he says proudly, beckoning me to follow him into the dark cathedral like tunnel.”The shiitakes, oysters, wood ear and shimejis love the moist humid air and dim light in the tunnel which is similar to conditions in the forests of China, Japan and Korea. They thrive in here on the organic eucalyptus sawdust which we sterilise then pack into blocks.”There’s a lab in Mittagong where we do all the prep work and sorting and also where we grow enoki, Swiss Browns, King Browns and chestnuts.  We produce 1500Kg a week which we sell to the supermarkets and at the local farmers market.”
A  microbiologist by training, Arrold is a fascinating host and his knowledge of exotic mushrooms extensive.  In early June, you too can visit the tunnel and see how these delicate apricot, lemon and oyster funghi are grown. There will be three Mushroom Tunnel Tours on Sunday 13 June.
Each guest will receive a punnet of these exotic mushrooms and can also buy the newly released Shitake Mushroom Log. These logs produce a crop within 7-10 days and will then produce every three weeks for up to 12 weeks.
They are hugely popular, so book ealry. Times:   9.30am, 11.30am, 2.30pm   Cost:  $ 25 per person.
More information:   www.highlandsfoodiegroup.com.au