Happy New Year to all our members and other subscribers and recipients of our newsletter. We are off to a flying start with all services resuming in January. Congratulations to all who won a prize in the Christmas raffle and thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket or two!
Our book sale continues through January, with many shoppers picking up a bargain. Please let others know of this opportunity, it would be wonderful to not have to pack many books up for next time! Thanks so much to Rosemary and the volunteers involved for the organisation and hard work needed for the sale to happen, and thanks to those of you who have donated books to this valuable BMI fundraiser.
The Board
The first Board Meeting of the BMI was held on 19th January and we warmly welcomed the addition of two new Board Members who were voted in at this meeting. I am thrilled to announce the appointment of Benjamin Schier and Leigh Ericksen to the group. Both gentlemen bring specialist skills to the organization aligned to needs identified by our skills matrix analysis.
Ben is currently a litigation lawyer with Nevetts Lawyers and he brings obvious skills, guidance and experience in the legal arena which are of great value to the BMI. Nevetts continue to support the organization as corporate members and are supportive of this appointment.
Leigh is the Creative Director at Stoke Design and brings skills including Web development, Branding and Identity and Graphic Design to the table. Stoke Design is a Ballarat based web design and graphic design studios providing expertise and solutions to a wide range of clients from various industries.
Both of our new recruits have been assisting the BMI within their areas of expertise over the last few months pro bono and we thank them for their interest, commitment and fresh energy as we begin 2026 with our renewed team.
I would also like to inform you that long standing board Member Charlotte King has stepped down from her role here. Charlotte has been with the BMI for over 3 years as not only a board member but a member of the Collections Committee, various working groups and was an active advocate delivering connections like Geoffrey Blainey and the associated event in March 2025.
Policy review and development continues with board members Ben, Jennifer and myself working through December and January to ensure policy compliance in these changing times. Thank you also to Claire Huntington for advice and assistance with our initial governance audit and process of review- the BMI largely depends on friends and the wider community to achieve what is necessary for a Not For Profit such as the BMI to survive and thrive.
Our Finance Committee continued to operate over the break with two Finance meetings monitoring solvency and other areas in what can be a tricky cash flow period with holidays and changes to member’s routines.
Website Review
Much work has been going on over the break in the area of website review. Information was gathered via a survey carefully designed by new Board Member Leigh, providing a sound platform for future development and improved performance; any development will of course be based on our strategic plan and prioritize the user experience to ensure that visitors to our website enjoy a seamless and efficient interaction. Stay tuned for updates!
From the Heritage Collection Curator
in January, our Curator Ellen joined ABC radio to talk about the BMI, its history, significance and continued relevance today. If you’d like to listen go to the link below.
Ellen will also be giving a talk to the Ballarat Historical Society at their monthly meeting on 11 March. Titled:
Eureka! Unearching ‘Useful Knowledge’ on the Ballarat Goldfields.
This presentation explores the remarkable history of the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute and the global movement that inspired it, tracing how ideas of education, reform, and self-improvement shaped life on the Victorian goldfields. Emerging from the social and political upheavals of the Eureka era, the Institute became a centre for learning, debate, culture, and community, dedicated to the ‘diffusion of useful knowledge.’
Drawing on stories of radical politics, rare books, scientific discovery, early cinema, and pioneering local innovators such as Henry Sutton, this presentation traces how Ballarat’s intellectual and cultural life grew alongside its mining economy, and continued long after, revealing a lasting legacy of the goldfields — the pursuit of education and learning.
Ellen Becker is a museum and cultural heritage professional. Ellen works as Heritage Collections Curator at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, as well as Property Coordinator of Old Melbourne Gaol and Polly Woodside at the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). Ellen has previously worked in collections including the Arts Centre Melbourne, Sovereign Hill, and the Australian Screen Research Collection (RMIT).
Ballarat Heritage Festival
We will also be offering our day and night tours and there will be an opportunity for volunteers to showcase the BMI to the many visitors that come with the festival.
We also have something very special brewing that we hope you all get the opportunity to enjoy, we will detail specifics as we get closer to the time.
Author Talks
Our author talks have kicked off again- see more information below. Rosemary has once again, developed a varied and enviable program featuring some new and some very well known authors for your entertainment and interest!
Ballarat Organ and Fine Music Festival
We welcomed the Organ Festival back into the Minerva Space in January in what was a beautiful performance by Jerry Wong. This event was in contrast to Billy Hinde and his big band later in January- these two events just a couple of examples of our varied musical offering here at the BMI.
Twilight Talks 2026
Twilight talks are also in place for 2026 (thanks again Patron Phil Roberts) with members telling me personally they very much look forward to the return of this programming.
Stage Ready
We are very pleased to announce that we have been successful in obtaining grant funds from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund which will facilitate a program called Stage Ready developed by our Venue Manager Liam Mudge. Launching in 2026, Stage Ready delivers practical, real-world experience in lighting, sound, stagecraft, and venue operations. The program is non-formal by design, helping participants develop entry-level technical skills through guided mentorship and active involvement across BMI and partner venues. This approach strengthens the region’s creative and event workforce and this program continues the BMI’s legacy by building skills, confidence, and creative opportunities for our region.
Executive Manager
If you have not had the pleasure of meeting our new Executive Manager Neville Ivey, please drop in some time and say hi. Neville has hit the ground running and we are thrilled with his approach and commitment so far. I also look forward to seeing many of you at events and in the Library in the coming weeks.
