Zoosporic true fungi (chytrids) are widely distributed in soils. They reproduce by motile spores (zoospores), which attach to, and grow saprotrophically on many substrates of plant and animal origin, such as pollen, keratin and chitin (Sparrow 1960). Here we investigate the in vitro effects of soluble Copper (II), Lead (II) and Zinc (II) on the zoosporic true fungi species: Rhizophlyctis rosea (A13), Terramyces sp. (A3) and Chytriomyces hyalinus (A14) from soils of the Sydney Basin and Central coast regions and Gaertneriomyces (Mar-CC2) from a soil of north-western NSW. The growth, zoospore production and attachment of all isolates showed toxicity to soluble metals in the following order; Cu>Zn>Pb. All isolates showed significant reduction in growth at 60 ppm (0.94 mmol m^-3) for Cu, three declined significantly at 60 ppm (0.92 mmol m^-3) Zn and two declined significantly at 100 ppm (0.48 mmol m^-3) Pb. All isolates showed reduced zoospore production when grown in solid PYG media with 60 ppm Cu, three isolates declined in zoospore production at 60 ppm Zn and three at 100 ppm Pb. Two isolates did not recover growth after incubation in 60 ppm Cu, while all isolates recovered growth after incubation in solid media with 60 ppm Zn or 100 ppm Pb. If these metals cause similar effects in the field, Cu, Pb and Zn contamination of NSW soils is likely to reduce the biomass of zoosporic true fungi and reduce attachment to organic materials, thereby reducing the rate of mineralisation of soil organic matter.