Event

Celebrating Western Australia’s truffle industry & the latest developments

TRUFFLE

Expanding Australia’s Truffle Cultivation via New Truffle Species Hosted on New Truffle Host Trees. Join Murdoch University and Silverplace Pty Ltd for a special event celebrating the latest developments in Western Australia’s truffle industry.

Expanding Australia’s Truffle Cultivation via New Truffle Species Hosted on New Truffle Host Trees.

Join Murdoch University and Silverplace Pty Ltd for a special event celebrating the latest developments in Western Australia’s truffle industry.

The event marks the completion of the Future Food Systems Cooperative Research Centre (FFSCRC) PhD project:

Expanding Australia’s Truffle Cultivation via New Truffle Species Hosted on New Truffle Host Trees.

The morning program will bring together researchers, industry representatives and other stakeholders to explore the latest research and developments in truffle cultivation, new truffle species, host trees, orchard production and future opportunities for the WA truffle industry.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, 25 November 2026

Time: 8:30 AM – 5:15 PM

Morning venue: Rosemary Van den Berg Room (360.4.003), Boola Katitjin, Murdoch University, 90 South St Murdoch

Tickets: $100 / $150 (see options below)

Please choose one of the following ticket options:

OPTION A – Seminar & Networking Lunch | $100

Includes:

  • Morning seminar and presentations
  • Networking with researchers, industry representatives and other guests
  • Lunch

Program:

  • 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Seminar and presentations
  • 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Networking lunch


OPTION B – Full Experience: Seminar, Lunch & Orchard Visit | $150

Includes everything in Option A, plus:

  • Bus transport to and from Whitby Falls Experimental Truffle Orchard
  • Guided orchard visit
  • Opportunity to see the truffle trial sites and new host tree varieties
  • Discussion about future truffle production and extended harvest seasons

Event program

  • 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Seminar and presentations
  • 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Networking lunch
  • 1:30 PM: Depart by bus for Whitby Falls Orchard
  • 2:00 PM: Orchard visit and tour
  • 5:15 PM: Return to Murdoch University
  • 5:15 PM: Return to Murdoch University


    (Please note: The orchard visit is approximately 35 minutes from the main Murdoch University campus. Places on the bus are limited)


    What You Will Hear About

    The seminar will cover the latest developments in WA’s truffle industry, including:

    World-leading truffle research

    Professor Treena Burgess & Professor Alessandra Zambonelli

    Research into truffle mycology, nursery biosecurity, eDNA and root colonisation, including collaboration between Murdoch University and the University of Bologna.

    New truffle species and host trees

    Dr Mahesh Galapaththi

    Findings from the FFSCRC PhD project, including the cultivation of new truffle species such as Tuber borchii and Tuber aestivum and their interaction with different host tree species.

    From orchard to market

    Gavin Booth & Adam Wilson

    Practical insights into orchard establishment, commercial production and the potential to extend WA’s truffle harvest season through new truffle species.

    Agribusiness and forestry opportunities

    Dr James Krahe & Dr Mark McHenry

    Exploring opportunities for truffle production alongside forestry, including the use of Pinus radiata and Pinus pinaster, as well as potential regional economic and agritourism opportunities.

    About the Project

    The FFSCRC project is investigating new opportunities to expand Australia’s truffle industry by introducing new truffle species and exploring new host trees.

    Research trials in Western Australia are helping to investigate whether different truffle species can extend the traditional winter harvest period and create opportunities for production during other times of the year.

    Registration

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

     

    RSVP and payment deadline: 9 November 2026

           Places are limited, particularly for the orchard visit and bus transport. Early registration is recommended.

Event

Celebrating Western Australia’s truffle industry & the latest developments

Date

Register here

Get in touch

To find out more about studying at Murdoch contact us on study@murdoch.edu.au or 1300 687 3624.

 

Ongoing Event Series

Joint Biosecurity Seminar

Murdoch University's HBI Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, James Cook University's (JCU) Centre for Tropical Biosecurity, and the CSIRO host an ongoing seminar series featuring presentations on a range of biosecurity topics. The monthly online seminar connects audiences across Australia with some of the latest findings within biosecurity, helping to strengthen our knowledge and facilitate cross-organisation collaboration.

The one-hour seminars are held online via Teams, around the start of each month, and feature two expert presenters. The three organisations each host one of the monthly seminars on a rotating basis, bringing biosecurity expertise and topics from across Australia. 

Upcoming seminars will be added to the listed events on this page. Subscribe to the seminar mailing list to receive invites to monthly seminars: https://mailchi.mp/murdoch/joint-biosecurity-seminar

 

Visiting Scholar Lecture Series

The Harry Butler Institute hosts a Visiting Scholar Scheme, providing support for visits from international scholars to nurture academic collaboration and knowledge sharing. Visiting scholars are invited to give a public lecture on their research and participate in a podcast interview during their visit. 

Visiting Scholar Lectures will be added to the event listings on this page as they become available. HBI is proud to offer this initiative to enhance international collaboration and promote cross-boundary knowledge sharing.