May 6, 2025

The Sole Beef Wellington Mushroom Lunch Survivor Speaks

The Sole Beef Wellington Mushroom Lunch Survivor Speaks
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The Sole Beef Wellington Mushroom Lunch Survivor Speaks
The Sole Beef Wellington Mushroom Lunch Survivor Speaks

The Sole Beef Wellington Lunch Survivor Speaks - Mushroom Murder Trial Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of the Leongatha mushroom lunch poisoning, testifies in the trial of Erin Patterson, providing new details about the deadly mushroom meal and subsequent events. His testimony reveals observations about different coloured plates used during the Beef Wellington meal, Erin Patterson's cancer announcement, and the rapid deterioration of health that led to three deaths. • Erin Patterson (50) pl...

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Season 1

The Sole Beef Wellington Lunch Survivor Speaks - Mushroom Murder Trial

Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of the Leongatha mushroom lunch poisoning, testifies in the trial of Erin Patterson, providing new details about the deadly mushroom meal and subsequent events. His testimony reveals observations about different coloured plates used during the Beef Wellington meal, Erin Patterson's cancer announcement, and the rapid deterioration of health that led to three deaths.

• Erin Patterson (50) pleads not guilty to three murder charges and one attempted murder charge
• The fatal lunch on July 29, 2023 resulted in the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson (both 70) and Heather Wilkinson (66)
• Ian Wilkinson describes his relationship with Erin Patterson as "friendly but not close"
• Ms Patterson served Beef Wellington on grey plates to guests while using a different coloured plate herself
• During lunch, Erin Patterson announced having "life-threatening cancer" and sought advice about telling her children
• Ian led a prayer for Erin Patterson’s health and wisdom in dealing with her supposed diagnosis
• Symptoms began the same evening with victims experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea
• Medical staff initially suspected food poisoning before identifying death cap mushroom poisoning
• Don Patterson had extremely high test readings while Gail Patterson initially showed milder symptoms

Visit mushroommurdertrialcom for updates and information about the trial. Follow the podcast on Instagram, YouTube , Facebook , Blue Sky, and Twitter. Support the production through Buy Me A Coffee membership for exclusive content – just $5 helps cover editing, studio hire, liability insurance, equipment, and production costs.


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Erin Patterson Mushrooms

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Erin Patterson Mushrooms

Here it is in summary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

00:00 - Podcast Introduction & Newsletter

00:37 - Case Background: Erin Patterson's Charges

01:09 - Ian Wilkinson's Court Testimony

03:28 - Hospital Treatment & Aftermath

06:34 - Closing & Support Information

WEBVTT

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Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast, your source for coverage of one of Australia's most fascinating criminal trials.

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My name is Lisa.

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I'm a podcaster and a true crime reporter who has been following this case since 2023.

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Now, before we start, have you signed up for our newsletter?

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Make sure you go there.

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It's mushroommurdertrialcom.

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It's full of updates and information about the trial, so it's handy if you've missed an episode or missed the media coverage.

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Now let's quickly get the technicalities out of the way so we can then discuss the day's main witness, the one everyone who has been waiting for, the lunch's sole survivor.

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Ms Erin Trudy Patterson, age 50, from Leangatha, is pleading not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder.

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She's accused but denies deliberately serving a meal containing death cat mushrooms to her former in-laws and their relatives during a lunch at her home in Leangatha on July 29, 2023.

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Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, age 66, and Gayle's sister Heather Wilkinson, aged 66, later died.

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Heather's husband, ian Wilkinson, became critically ill but survived, and it was the sole survivor of the deadly lunch.

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Ian Wilkinson, who testified on Tuesday at the Supreme Court trial in Morwell, victoria.

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He described his relationship with Erin before the lunch as friendly and amicable, stating they were quote more like acquaintances.

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He said he and his wife Heather were very happy and excited about being invited to the lunch because they hoped it was the start of a closer relationship with the mother of two.

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Quote.

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She just seemed like any normal person to me.

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Mr Wilkinson said when we met things were friendly.

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We never had arguments or disputes.

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She just seemed like an ordinary person.

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Quote Heather would have seen Erin more than me, talked to her more than me, but we did not consider that the relationship was close.

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When the four guests arrived at Erin's house, heather and Gail Patterson went to inspect the host's new pantry because Heather had just installed one herself.

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Ian recalled Erin was, quote very reluctant about this.

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He wondered to himself if this was because the cupboard was messy.

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The group also went outside and inspected Erin's garden.

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Ian said Erin plated the beef wellington dishes herself and rejected an offer by Heather and Gail to help.

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He noticed Erin ate off an quote orangey tan plate which was a different colour from the grey plates they used.

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Quote.

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Each person had an individual serve.

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It was very much like a pasty, he said.

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Quote.

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It was a pastry case when we cut into it.

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There was steak and mushrooms.

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The only preparation I saw was potatoes being mashed food plating up.

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That's all I saw.

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End quote.

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The meal consisted of Beef, wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans.

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Don ate half of his wife's lunch.

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After the meal.

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Erin told the group she had quote life-threatening cancer and referred to a diagnostic test that had found a tumour.

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The defence suggested she had said it was a suspected cancer.

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But Egan rejected this and said Erin was quote fairly clear that the cancer diagnosis was given.

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He said Ms Patterson announced she wanted advice on a very serious cancer.

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Diagnosis was given.

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He said Ms Patterson announced she wanted advice on a very serious cancer diagnosis.

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She was anxious about telling the kids she was asking our advice about that.

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Should I tell the kids?

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Should I not tell the kids about the threat to my life, he said.

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Mr Wilkinson added Ms Patterson told them about a test which had shown a spot on a scan.

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He believed it was either ovarian or cervical cancer.

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The Baptist Church pastor said Don Patterson said it was best to be honest with the kids.

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I suggested that we pray and I prayed a prayer asking for God's blessing on Erin that she would get the treatment that she needed that the kids would be okay, that she'd have the wisdom in how she told the kids.

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Mr Wilkinson stated that he and his wife began feeling unwell later that evening.

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The next morning they went to Leangatha Hospital after being urged to do so by his nephew, simon Patterson.

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He recalled that his wife repeatedly pointed out that Ms Patterson had used a plate of a different colour for herself during the meal.

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Initially medical staff suspected their symptoms vomiting and diarrhoea were the result of a mass food poisoning.

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But the next day the couple were suddenly woken and transferred to Dandingong Hospital in a hurry.

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A doctor told the couple that quote he'd had communication saying it was suspected mushroom poisoning.

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He was very frank, said Mr Wilkinson.

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He said it was a serious situation.

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He said it was time-critical treatment available.

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The jury also heard that while Don and Gail Patterson also at Dandenong Hospital, the toxicology department raised the possibility of death cap mushroom poisoning due to the delayed onset of symptoms.

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The last thing Ian Wilkinson remembers is being given a charcoal infused drink inside the hospital for treatment.

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Meanwhile Don Patterson had extremely high test readings when admitted to hospital, while Gail initially showed only mild signs of illness.

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The couple were put on treatments to protect their liver.

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And that's all I have for you today.

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Until next time, I'm Lisa.

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This is the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast.

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Thank you so much for listening.

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For more information, visit my website and make sure you subscribe to that newsletter, mushroommurdertrialcom Plus.

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I'm on Instagram, youtube, facebook, blue Sky, twitter you name it.

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I'll also put links in the show notes to those social media accounts.

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Plus, there's exclusive membership material on the site, just for you, although I must say last week, when I was in melbourne and it was so busy, I probably needed gin more than coffee, but now we're back on track, okay, well, look, have a fabulous day.

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Thank you so much and I will be back very soon.

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Bye.