BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 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:20260430T183000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260430T200000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260303T233837Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T014040Z UID:71100-1777573800-1777579200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Anna Johnston DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/in-conversation-with-anna-johnston/ 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-anna-johnston-v3.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260506T173000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260506T183000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260323T001805Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T043353Z UID:71453-1778088600-1778092200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Twilight Talks: Focus on Ballarat - What We Watched Before Cinema: ‘Entertainments’ at the Mechanics’ Hall\, 1863–1919 DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/twilight-talks-focus-on-ballarat-4/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Australian Heritage Festival,Twilight Talks ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/square-promo-2025-ellen.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260506T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260506T200000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260302T012938Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T043305Z UID:71029-1778094000-1778097600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Love Changes Everything: How to Transform Yourself & the World Around You DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/kadampa-meditation-series-6-may/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/3-Love-Changes-BMI-Square.png ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260508T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260508T213000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260310T034440Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T043207Z UID:71174-1778268600-1778275800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:One Tease Rules Them All: Fellowship of the G-String - The Burlesque Parody DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/one-tease-rules-them-all/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Sq-promo-one.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Ethereal Realm Events Co.":MAILTO:etherealrealm.eventsco@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260509T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260509T113000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260121T221045Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T033520Z UID:70205-1778320800-1778326200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Teeny Tiny Stevies - Brain Fart Tour DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/teeny-tiny-stevies-brain-fart-tour/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Comedy,Live Music,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Square-logo-only-1920x1920-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260509T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260509T213000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260310T043604Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T043048Z UID:71186-1778355000-1778362200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:One Tease Rules Them All: Fellowship of the G-String - The Burlesque Parody DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/one-tease-rules-them-all-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Sq-promo-one.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Ethereal Realm Events Co.":MAILTO:etherealrealm.eventsco@gmail.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260511T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260511T193000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260316T013945Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T043011Z UID:71295-1778522400-1778527800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Victoria Purman DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/victoria-purman/ 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-victoria-purman.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260512T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20261208T150000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20250527T054132Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T043645Z UID:65238-1778594400-1796742000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Day Tours of the Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute - Each Tuesday DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/day-tours-ballarat-26/ LOCATION:Library Ground Floor\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Heritage Festival,Ballarat Winter Festival,Festival,Fundraiser,Important Dates,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/building-tours-sq-promo.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T183000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T200000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260303T011741Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T041831Z UID:71063-1778697000-1778702400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Kerri Rogan DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/in-conversation-with-kerri-rogan/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-v3.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T200000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260302T013053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T041747Z UID:71031-1778698800-1778702400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Love Changes Everything: How to Transform Yourself & the World Around You DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/kadampa-meditation-series-13-may/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/3-Love-Changes-BMI-Square.png ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260514T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260514T210000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260129T041334Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T035403Z UID:70407-1778787000-1778792400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Black Dog DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/ballarat-film-society-black-dog/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/black-dog-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260516T083000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260516T180000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260128T044603Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035919Z UID:70338-1778920200-1778954400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Victorian Occult Conference DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/victorian-occult-conference/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/sq-promo-vic-occult.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T200000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260310T001332Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035527Z UID:71137-1779217200-1779220800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/minervas-secrets-night-tour-19-may-26/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Australian Heritage Festival,Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_908662326866361-e1708918930337.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T203000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260414T044444Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260418T054257Z UID:72157-1779219000-1779222600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Lantern Vaults | Special Preview DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/lantern-vaults-preview/ LOCATION:The Basement\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Art programs,Ballarat Heritage Festival,Important Dates ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sq-promo-events-lantern-vaults.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T210000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T220000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260310T002124Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T044437Z UID:71139-1779224400-1779228000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/minervas-secrets-night-tour-18-may-26-2/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Australian Heritage Festival,Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_265285705882698-e1708919200874.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260521T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260524T160000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260418T053218Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260425T062535Z UID:72320-1779357600-1779638400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Lantern Vaults DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/lantern-vaults/ LOCATION:BMI – Multiple Spaces\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Art programs,Ballarat Heritage Festival,Important Dates ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sq-promo-events-lantern-vaults.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260521T113000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260524T121500 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260421T025952Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T043547Z UID:72387-1779363000-1779624900@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Heritage Festival - Tours of the Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/ballarat-heritage-festival-tours/ LOCATION:Meet in the Foyer\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Heritage Festival,Important Dates,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sq-promo-day-tours.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260522T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260522T203000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260318T041021Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T065647Z UID:71379-1779476400-1779481800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Panic from the Sky: A Call of Cthulhu Advenure DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/panic-in-the-sky/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Heritage Festival,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Ufo-picture-only-for-ATDW-Tales-from-Rat-City-David-Waldron.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260527T183000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260527T200000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260313T002934Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035212Z UID:71249-1779906600-1779912000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Amanda Hampson DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/amanda-hampson/ 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-amanda-hampson.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260611T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260611T210000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260129T043042Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035120Z UID:70415-1781206200-1781211600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Monster DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/ballarat-film-society-monster/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/monster-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T200000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260310T005733Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035038Z UID:71141-1781290800-1781294400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/minervas-secrets-night-tour-12-jun-26/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_908662326866361-e1708918930337.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T210000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T220000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260310T010115Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035008Z UID:71143-1781298000-1781301600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/minervas-secrets-night-tour-12-jun-26-2/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_265285705882698-e1708919200874.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260617T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260617T193000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260506T023026Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T043433Z UID:72763-1781719200-1781724600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Anthea Hodgson DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/in-conversation-with-anthea-hodgson/ 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/2026/05/sp-promo-talks-anthea-hodgson.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260623T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260623T193000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260313T005434Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034824Z UID:71257-1782237600-1782243000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Mark Smith DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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:20260701T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260701T193000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260506T041811Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T043318Z UID:72778-1782928800-1782934200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Sherryl Clark DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/in-conversation-with-sherryl-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/2026/05/sp-promo-talks-sherryl-clark.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260703T200000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260703T211500 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260505T235334Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T043235Z UID:72745-1783108800-1783113300@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Joscho Stephan Trio: Gypsy Jazz Virtuosos DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/joscho-stephan-trio-gypsy-jazz-virtuosos/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/20211029_joscho_stephan_trio-c-pollert.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Concerts Australia":MAILTO:michael@concertsaustralia.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260704T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260704T110000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260413T230016Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260410T004508Z UID:72002-1783159200-1783162800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Whistle and Trick DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/whistle-and-trick/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Comedy,Live Music,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WT-Portrait-promo-copy.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T110000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T125000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20250930T001641Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T050116Z UID:67766-1783681200-1783687800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production | SOLD OUT DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/21-hearts/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T205000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20251001T031523Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T051020Z UID:67817-1783710000-1783716600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production | SOLD OUT DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/21-hearts-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T110000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T125000 DTSTAMP:20260508T032136 CREATED:20260212T045959Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T050826Z UID:70689-1783767600-1783774200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production | SOLD OUT DESCRIPTION:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat’s Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n September 3\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n5:30 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n6:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Bar open at 5pm \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$9.73 – $13.83 \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 Get tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The young Henry visited Ballarat\, specifically to ‘bone up’ on the happenings at Eureka on Sunday 3rd December 1854; he proceeded to write numerous poems and prose pieces about the ‘battle’ and – more so – the effects of its outcome on the developing Australian national identity; that many of his pieces mention Ballarat in the same context. As with so many of our iconic personalities across our history\, there’s much that is not well-known about their lives and achievements. Henry Lawson is a case in point\, with the special appeal that in 1889\, as a twenty two-year old\, he actually came to Ballarat and that the visit materially affected his subsequent writings over the course of his nearly forty-year career. To help make up for that deficiency\, as the first of the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Spring 2025 ‘Twilight Talks’\, Hedley Thomson – local actor and a big Lawson fan – will be presenting a talk on Lawson’s time in Ballarat\, which will include performances of several of the more notable pieces (both poetry and prose) that Lawson was inspired to write following his Ballarat visit. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Speaker: Hedley Thomson \n \n \n Hedley Thomson | Former Environmental Manager\, City of Ballarat\n \n \n \n Hedley Thomson ‘I’ve spent 35 of my 70 years in Ballarat\, having been raised in suburban Melbourne and holidayed and worked on the Mornington Peninsula\, where I also met my wife\, Christine\, and started raising our family of three excellent daughters. My work has been in the fields of land use\, environmental\, strategic and corporate planning\, principally in local government\, but also with stints in State\, regional\, private and community organisations. Throughout my life I’ve had an interest in regional Australia\, in theatre – especially performing – and\, developing from not much to a near obsession (in all the right ways)\, in Henry Lawson. Coming to Ballarat\, which I/the family did in 1988\, has enabled me to indulge all three interests; e.g.: the Rosebud Memorial Hall was OK for the occasional play but I never counted on a venue as wonderful as Her Majesty’s Theatre\, being part of Fred Fargher-directed musicals\, and being on stage with my children in ballet performances at Royal South Street Society competitions (I like to demuse people by boasting that I have a ‘first’ in ballet from those comps – as ‘the male’ in a winning troupe). As far as Henry Lawson is concerned\, like many of us growing up\, I knew of his well-known pieces such as The Loaded Dog and The Drover’s Wife but little else. I’d scanned through a few selections of his works but – like many people\, I think – I found them a bit too serious; ‘Banjo’ Patterson was certainly the more popular writer. Then\, in the 1980s\, I happened to buy what became the very popular two-volume complete works of Lawson\, compiled by Leonard Cronin (I also bought a similar two-volume job of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson’s works that came out around the same time); once I started reading\, I was hooked. I discovered he wrote about everything\, in almost every possible style\, with humour\, with pathos\, with serious analysis of the topic chosen\, with prophetic intent. This clearly was/is no ‘bush poet’. I found – like all great writers – that his truths\, his observations\, his descriptions of human foibles and failings\, the brilliance of his verbal descriptions of the settings of his pieces stand the test of time; that is why I am so infatuated with his work. And that it is of Australia; palpably of this country\, including when he writes of our indigenous peoples (with whom he frequently had amicable dealings\, despite the views of some commentators). To find that Lawson visited Ballarat in 1887\, following which he wrote a number of pieces about that seminal event in modern Australian history – the Eureka rising\, has enabled me to make a connection between my passion for his writings\, my place of residence and my long-time involvement with theatre/performance. During 2022 – the 100th anniversary year of Lawson’s death – a trio of us performed various of Lawson’s works to community group audiences. Now the BMI has provided me with the opportunity to focus on Ballarat’s Henry Lawson and to highlight the effect that the young Henry’s visit had on his writings.’ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Community Bank Buninyong & District not only gives you access to award-winning financial products and services\, we’re also committed to returning profits to our local communities. \n \n This event is proudly supported by Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets and Bookings \n \n \n \n \n \n Tickets $9.73 BMI members & $13.83 general admittance\, includes gst & bkg fee. \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 More Twilight Talks\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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/21-hearts-vivian-bulllwinkel-and-the-nurses-of-the-vyner-brooke-a-theatre-180-production-saturday/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR