BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Melbourne BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20250405T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20251004T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20260404T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20261003T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20270403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20271002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260623T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260623T193000 DTSTAMP:20260424T100544 CREATED:20260313T005434Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034824Z UID:71257-1782237600-1782243000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Mark Smith DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n November 18\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n An Ill Wind \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Small Town Divided – Secrets Are Blown Apart \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Author of Cutters End and Stone Town \n \n \n \n \n \n \n High on a hill above the small fictional Victorian town of Carrabeen\, 300 wind turbines constantly spin. All except for one\, now deadly still with a limp body hanging from one of its huge white blades. Married Detective Sergeants Belinda Burney and Will Lovell are shocked to discover the dead man is Geordie Pritchard\, a wealthy local philanthropist and owner of the wind energy farm. Suicide at first seems the likely explanation\, until Geordie’s widow Lucinda insists her husband was murdered – and she has the death threats to prove it. The controversies surrounding the arrival of the wind farm has ripped the rural town in two. Some welcome the jobs and prosperity it brings\, others are enraged by the loss of farming land. So in the eyes of the locals\, Pritchard was both saint and sinner. But who in this small community hated him enough to want him dead? \n \n The natural Australian landscape is the centrepiece of all Margaret’s writing\, and the focus of her creative writing PhD was on depictions of landscape in Australian literature. She has always been struck by the isolation and danger\, as well as the beauty and exhilaration of her local surrounds and this is evident in An Ill Wind as we spend time in the dusty and quiet paddocks of Carrabeen. In previous books she has depicted the harsh\, relentless desert\, the secretive\, sodden bush\, Australia’s ethereal underwater world and the mountainous High Country of North East Victoria where she lives. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n Margaret Hickey\, Author | Image: Colin Usher\n \n \n \n We are thrilled to announce that Margaret has won ‘Best Crime’ in the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards for her book The Creeper \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2025 Ned Kelly Award Winners\n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey is an award-winning author and playwright from North East Victoria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and is deeply interested in rural lives and communities. She is the author of the bestsellers Cutters End\, Stone Town\, Broken Bay and The Creeper. Her collection of short stories about country life\, Rural Dreams\, was released in January 2025. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/mark-smith-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-mark-smith.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T193000 DTSTAMP:20260424T100544 CREATED:20260313T024204Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034457Z UID:71265-1784138400-1784143800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Benita Bensch DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n November 18\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n An Ill Wind \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Small Town Divided – Secrets Are Blown Apart \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Author of Cutters End and Stone Town \n \n \n \n \n \n \n High on a hill above the small fictional Victorian town of Carrabeen\, 300 wind turbines constantly spin. All except for one\, now deadly still with a limp body hanging from one of its huge white blades. Married Detective Sergeants Belinda Burney and Will Lovell are shocked to discover the dead man is Geordie Pritchard\, a wealthy local philanthropist and owner of the wind energy farm. Suicide at first seems the likely explanation\, until Geordie’s widow Lucinda insists her husband was murdered – and she has the death threats to prove it. The controversies surrounding the arrival of the wind farm has ripped the rural town in two. Some welcome the jobs and prosperity it brings\, others are enraged by the loss of farming land. So in the eyes of the locals\, Pritchard was both saint and sinner. But who in this small community hated him enough to want him dead? \n \n The natural Australian landscape is the centrepiece of all Margaret’s writing\, and the focus of her creative writing PhD was on depictions of landscape in Australian literature. She has always been struck by the isolation and danger\, as well as the beauty and exhilaration of her local surrounds and this is evident in An Ill Wind as we spend time in the dusty and quiet paddocks of Carrabeen. In previous books she has depicted the harsh\, relentless desert\, the secretive\, sodden bush\, Australia’s ethereal underwater world and the mountainous High Country of North East Victoria where she lives. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n Margaret Hickey\, Author | Image: Colin Usher\n \n \n \n We are thrilled to announce that Margaret has won ‘Best Crime’ in the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards for her book The Creeper \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2025 Ned Kelly Award Winners\n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey is an award-winning author and playwright from North East Victoria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and is deeply interested in rural lives and communities. She is the author of the bestsellers Cutters End\, Stone Town\, Broken Bay and The Creeper. Her collection of short stories about country life\, Rural Dreams\, was released in January 2025. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/benita-bensch/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-benita-bensch-v2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260729T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260729T193000 DTSTAMP:20260424T100544 CREATED:20260416T050939Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260417T012750Z UID:72260-1785348000-1785353400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Phillipa Nefri Clark DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n November 18\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n An Ill Wind \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Small Town Divided – Secrets Are Blown Apart \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Author of Cutters End and Stone Town \n \n \n \n \n \n \n High on a hill above the small fictional Victorian town of Carrabeen\, 300 wind turbines constantly spin. All except for one\, now deadly still with a limp body hanging from one of its huge white blades. Married Detective Sergeants Belinda Burney and Will Lovell are shocked to discover the dead man is Geordie Pritchard\, a wealthy local philanthropist and owner of the wind energy farm. Suicide at first seems the likely explanation\, until Geordie’s widow Lucinda insists her husband was murdered – and she has the death threats to prove it. The controversies surrounding the arrival of the wind farm has ripped the rural town in two. Some welcome the jobs and prosperity it brings\, others are enraged by the loss of farming land. So in the eyes of the locals\, Pritchard was both saint and sinner. But who in this small community hated him enough to want him dead? \n \n The natural Australian landscape is the centrepiece of all Margaret’s writing\, and the focus of her creative writing PhD was on depictions of landscape in Australian literature. She has always been struck by the isolation and danger\, as well as the beauty and exhilaration of her local surrounds and this is evident in An Ill Wind as we spend time in the dusty and quiet paddocks of Carrabeen. In previous books she has depicted the harsh\, relentless desert\, the secretive\, sodden bush\, Australia’s ethereal underwater world and the mountainous High Country of North East Victoria where she lives. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n Margaret Hickey\, Author | Image: Colin Usher\n \n \n \n We are thrilled to announce that Margaret has won ‘Best Crime’ in the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards for her book The Creeper \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2025 Ned Kelly Award Winners\n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey is an award-winning author and playwright from North East Victoria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and is deeply interested in rural lives and communities. She is the author of the bestsellers Cutters End\, Stone Town\, Broken Bay and The Creeper. Her collection of short stories about country life\, Rural Dreams\, was released in January 2025. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/phillipa-nefri-clark/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sp-promo-talks-v2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260812T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260812T193000 DTSTAMP:20260424T100544 CREATED:20260324T234500Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T033956Z UID:71535-1786557600-1786563000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Sophie Green DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n November 18\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n An Ill Wind \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Small Town Divided – Secrets Are Blown Apart \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Author of Cutters End and Stone Town \n \n \n \n \n \n \n High on a hill above the small fictional Victorian town of Carrabeen\, 300 wind turbines constantly spin. All except for one\, now deadly still with a limp body hanging from one of its huge white blades. Married Detective Sergeants Belinda Burney and Will Lovell are shocked to discover the dead man is Geordie Pritchard\, a wealthy local philanthropist and owner of the wind energy farm. Suicide at first seems the likely explanation\, until Geordie’s widow Lucinda insists her husband was murdered – and she has the death threats to prove it. The controversies surrounding the arrival of the wind farm has ripped the rural town in two. Some welcome the jobs and prosperity it brings\, others are enraged by the loss of farming land. So in the eyes of the locals\, Pritchard was both saint and sinner. But who in this small community hated him enough to want him dead? \n \n The natural Australian landscape is the centrepiece of all Margaret’s writing\, and the focus of her creative writing PhD was on depictions of landscape in Australian literature. She has always been struck by the isolation and danger\, as well as the beauty and exhilaration of her local surrounds and this is evident in An Ill Wind as we spend time in the dusty and quiet paddocks of Carrabeen. In previous books she has depicted the harsh\, relentless desert\, the secretive\, sodden bush\, Australia’s ethereal underwater world and the mountainous High Country of North East Victoria where she lives. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n Margaret Hickey\, Author | Image: Colin Usher\n \n \n \n We are thrilled to announce that Margaret has won ‘Best Crime’ in the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards for her book The Creeper \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2025 Ned Kelly Award Winners\n \n \n \n \n Margaret Hickey is an award-winning author and playwright from North East Victoria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and is deeply interested in rural lives and communities. She is the author of the bestsellers Cutters End\, Stone Town\, Broken Bay and The Creeper. Her collection of short stories about country life\, Rural Dreams\, was released in January 2025. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/sophie-green/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-sophie-green.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR