A group of 25 citizen scientists peeled off into smaller groups to hunt for new species of fungi along this track.

In the north-west of Tasmania, in the Tarkine Wilderness, a "micro Easter egg hunt" is underway on the forest floor.

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More than 400 species of fungi have been found here already.

In the face of overwhelming quantities of data, fungi researchers are turning to citizen scientists to help them understand more about these diverse organisms.

Share Tiny mushrooms appear to be made from jelly, scattered on the forest floor

Julie Fielder is a Tasmanian biologist who accompanied a group of enthusiastic field naturalists to an area known as Philosopher's Falls, rich with moss and lichen, damp and cool under the cover of a Nothofagus canopy.

Ms Fielder said their aim was to learn to identify target species so they can upload accurate data to a Fungi Map.

Share The dense trees and moist earth create a cold and lush forest on the walk to the Philosopher's Falls: the perfect place for fungi to grow.

"There's not a huge amount of funding to study fungi in an official capacity, so a lot of the data that's being collected on ecology and distribution is largely being collected through citizen science," Ms Fielder said.

"We try and run these forays to increase the education of the community and increase the interest, in the hope that people will identify the target species and send their data in to contribute to the mapping."

Share After learning about a fungi species, these fungi enthusiasts are quick to try to snap the best shot.

Trisha Dick from the Burnie Field Naturalists Club said her passion for fungi was new, but she shared it with her fellow field naturalists.

"I've only just started," Ms Dick said.

Share These small blue fungi are referred to as "China Eye Doll" fungi

"There's a lot of us really interested because it's so amazing: the colours the shapes, there's purple, blue, red, green, yellow.

"I can see fungi all the way through the forest.

"Now my eyes have adjusted I can see the tiny little ones and identify them."

Share This fungi fruiting body is hard to see from eye-level, but get down low and the texture and detail becomes clear.

Dr Teresa Lebel, a fungi expert from Victoria who visits the Philosopher's Falls every few years, said a team of fungi hunters could collect up to 400 specimens over a three or four day period in this part of the Tarkine.

And every trip she discovered new species.

Share Fungi were seen growing from small twigs, these ones are quite slimy and fragile

"Today we saw a cortinarius species, a white one, that I haven't seen before," Dr Lebel said.

"We will be coming back, we will find some more material in good condition that we can collect and check if it's a new species or not."