[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Join ‘Art & Culture’ and ‘Monthly Activities’ on Tuesday 20 October 2015 for this combined exclusive event, a day trip to visit the Mushroom Tunnels in the Southern Highlands.

Buried underneath the hillside, alongside Mt Gibraltar between Mittagong and Bowral in the New South Wales Southern Highlands, lies a disused railway tunnel. This single track tunnel was built in 1866 and used up until 1919 when a new double track tunnel was built alongside it to become the new railway link between Sydney and the nation’s capital, Canberra. The single railway tunnel remained unused until the 1950s when it became one of the first cultivated mushroom farms in Australia.

In 1987 Dr Noel Arrold, a microbiologist, took over the tunnel and proceeded to develop new mushroom varieties for the Australian market. The first variety grown was the Swiss Brown mushroom, followed by the exotic Asian varieties – Shiitake, Oyster, Shimejii and Wood Ear. Exotic mushrooms thrive in the cool, damp and dimly lit environment of the tunnel which resembles the conditions that occur in the mountainous forests of China, Japan and Korea where these mushrooms occur naturally.

Departing from Central Railway station we will travel by luxury coach throughout the day. Our first stop will be the Mushroom Tunnels in Mittagong for our exclusive guided tour, led by Dr Arrold. The tour will be followed by a TAPAS lunch at the Milk Factory Gallery in Bowral, and finally a visit to Artemis Wines to taste their latest BEEmead and Sunshack Cider; arriving back at Central at approx 5.30pm.

Meet: at 8.00am for 8.15am departure at Central Railway Station, Western Concourse, Railway Square (Near Country-link Platform 1).

RSVP: by 13 October to Lynne Kendal [email protected] 0423 137 565. Please advise of any dietary requirements.

Cost: $80 (the cost of the coach will be partially subsidised by SWIC

Payment Options:

Payment Option 1: By Credit Card through the Cart at the bottom of the page

Payment Option 2: Online (direct deposit) into the SWIC bank account

Account Name: SWIC Inc.

BSB No: 112-879

Account No: 431-019-281

Description: Mushrooms + your initial and surname

Payment Option 3: Post your cheque/money order (payable to SWIC) to the Treasurer, Fritzi Casal, 49 Wisdom Road, Greenwich 2065

Transport:

By Telford’s Coach – departure at Central Railway Station, Western Concourse, Railway Square (Near Country-link Platform 1).

NOTE:

1) To avoid disappointment book early, as this tour is limited to 40 participants

2) Suitable shoes must be worn as the tunnel is long, narrow and sometimes slippery

3) As all costs must be paid in advance, there will be NO REFUNDS after the cut-off date of 13 October 2015.

YOU CAN PRINT OFF THIS NOTICE BY GOING TO THE TOOL BAR AT THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN AND CLICKING ON FILE THEN PRINT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][woocomposer_product product_id=”3849″ product_style=”style01″ text_align=”left” on_sale_style=”wcmp-sale-circle” on_sale_alignment=”wcmp-sale-right” product_img_disp=”single” img_animate=”rotate-clock” border_color=”#333333″ border_size=”1″ border_radius=”5″][/vc_column][/vc_row]