Menu
Facebook-f Instagram
Twitter Youtube
Menu
Facebook-f Instagram Twitter Youtube
Menu

Library

  1. Events
  2. Library

Events Search and Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

Today

Featured

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 2, Special Event | The Life of Walter Withers

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

April 30 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Bar open at 5pm $9.73 – $13.83 Humffray Room Get tickets The Life of Walter Withers Until now there has been no family history of Walter Withers (1854-1914), a notable but underestimated Australian landscape artist of the Heidelberg school. For nearly 200 years his Birmingham ancestors had […]

$9.73 – $13.83

In Conversation with Natasha Lester

May 1 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm $11.78 Humffray Room Get Tickets The Mademoiselle Alliance Natasha Lester. Inspired by a True Story A remarkable Australian talent - The Age A master storyteller - Daily Telegraph How did a young Parisienne mother, celebrated for her beauty and glamour, come to lead the largest spy network […]

$11.78

E A Gleeson, Book Launch – The Deepest Thing: A Poetic Memoir

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

May 4 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Humffray Room The Deepest Thing: A Poetic Memoir E A Gleeson. An Afternoon of folk music and poetry. The Deepest Thing: A Poetic Memoir | E A Gleeson The poetic memoir portrays the beauty and harshness of my sister Denise’s life. The poems depict the reality of […]

In Conversation with Mimi Kwa

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

May 7 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm $11.78 Humffray Room Get Tickets The House of Kwa Mimi Kwa. The dragon circles and swoops ... a tiger running alone in the night ... Mimi Kwa ignored the letter for days. When she finally opened it, the news was so shocking her hair turned grey. Why […]

$11.78

In Conversation with Darcy Tindale

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

May 14 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm $11.78 Humffray Room Get Tickets Burning Mountain Darcy Tindale. Five friends went up - Four came down. ‘Dark, wild and cracking with tension, Burning Mountain leaves other outback noir titles in the red dust.’ - Jack Heath Detective Rebecca Giles returns in Darcy Tindale’s highly anticipated sequel, […]

$11.78

In Conversation with Nicole Alexander

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

May 28 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm $11.78 Humffray Room Get Tickets The Limestone Road Nicole Alexander. The Only Way Forward is through the Past... A Modern Australian Classic - Christine Wells. Known for her captivating depictions of historical rural Australian life, bestselling author Nicole Alexander returns with her twelfth novel, The Limestone Road […]

$11.78
Featured

Winter Book Sale | Stockpile your winter reading

Lending Library Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, Victoria, Australia

May 31 @ 10:00 am - June 1 @ 2:00 pm Free Lending Library Books priced from $1 - more for collectable items. Photo: Pexels - Clem Onojeghuo Don't miss our book sale this weekend. Admission and parking are free (one hour on Saturday, all day Sunday). There are hundreds of books - some of […]

Free

In Conversation with Gail Holmes

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

June 4 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm $11.78 Humffray Room Get Tickets In The Margins Gail Holmes. Vivid, wise and moving - Suzanne Leal. A Sheer Delight - Sally Colin-James. Gail Holmes | Photo Kristian Gehradte In The Margins is an extraordinary debut. A chronicle of a woman who lived and wrote in the […]

$11.78

In Conversation with Kylie Ladd | This event has now been CANCELLED

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

June 25 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm $11.78 Humffray Room Get Tickets The Mix-Up Kylie Ladd. One Tiny Mistake, Two Families affected Kylie Ladd A beautifully told and thought-provoking novel about a mix-up that leaves two children wondering who they really are and where they belong. What would you do if you found out […]

$11.78

Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’

The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

July 8 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm $11.78 TBA Get Tickets J.S. DavidsonHunted: The Aztec SagaIf one should fall, they each will fade...Tethered: The Aztec SagaDarkness will come, no one will evade... Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson I don’t know how long I […]

$11.78

Author Talk | Ella Stone – ‘Breakfast With You’

The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

July 8 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm $11.78 TBA Get Tickets Ella StoneBreakfast With You Breakfast WIth You | Ella Stone The plan is simple. Nicole will return to her hometown of Riverbanks for the funeral and provide a eulogy for a father she no longer knows.Afterwards, she will slip back to Sydney where […]

$11.78

In Conversation with Matthew Spencer

BMI - Humffray Room 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, Australia

July 9 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm $11.78 Humffray Room Get Tickets Broke Road Matthew Spencer A Murder at home - A community on edge - Someone is watching. 'A tightly plotted, fast moving, beautifully written whodunnit' - Jane Caro 'Enthralling, Matthew Spencer nails it' - Chris Hammer From the bestselling author of Black […]

$11.78
Cart
Checkout - $0.00
  • 0
  • 1

Tracey Lee Holmes: A Life Through Sport

Thu 4 September at 6pm. 

Get Tickets

Dame Nellie Melba Birthday Celebration

  Performance – 18 May.

Performance tickets
More information
Tax Deductible 

Your gift will be tax-deductible this financial year if you make it before June 30.

We need
your help.

2024 End of Financial Year Appeal 

 
Give Now >

 

Or alternatively go to our Donations web page.

Our Challenge

Like many organisations the BMI faces significant funding challenges. 

We thank you for your support.
electronic noticeboard calendar HALF PRICE
The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 2025 Calendar

Featuring the BMI Image Collection | Now $20

Purchase yours now
Devonshire Tea & Fashion Parade

Bubbly on arrival & Featuring quality items from our Vintage Shop | $60

BMI Fundraiser tickets here
Christmas Holiday Closures | Library

Monday 23 December – Sunday 5 January

Dame Nellie Melba Birthday Celebration

  Performance – 18 May.

Performance tickets
More information

Australian Heritage Festival Events at the BMI

18 April to 18 May. 

Find out More

Connections to War from a Ballarat Perspective

Wed 2-30 April, 5.30pm. 

Find out More

Ballarat Heritage Festival Events at the BMI

16 to 25 May 

Find out More
portrait of author with book cover

Australian Heritage Festival

Natasha Lester in conversation

1 May at 6pm. 

Get Tickets

with Michael Robotham

 Wed 20 August at 6pm. 

Get Tickets
guides dressed in period costum

Australian Heritage Festival

Minerva's Secrets

25 April – Tour 1 at 7.30pm – fully booked
Tour 2 at 9.30pm – still tickets. 

Get Tickets
portrait of author with book cover

Australian Heritage Festival

Natasha Lester in conversation

1 May at 6pm. 

Get Tickets

Ballarat Heritage Festival BMI Day Tours

Two tours  on 20 &  21 May 

 

Find out More

with Nicole Alexander

28 May at 6pm. 

Get Tickets

with Gail Holmes

 Wed 4 June at 6pm. 

Get Tickets

with Kylie Ladd

 Wed 25 June at 6pm. 

Get Tickets

Ballarat Pride Month

Events at BMI

The Month of June 

More

Ballarat Winter Festival

Events at BMI

5 July – 27 July 

More

BMI Fundraiser

Featuring:
The Hideaways,
The Harmonies &
Surf Shadows. 

2 course dinner & lots
of dancing

find out more