09/06/2022 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Stars: Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill and Ian Lloyd Anderson. Sandra, (Clare Dunne), is a young mum struggling to provide her two daughters with a warm, safe and happy home in which to grow up. With very little income and no savings, Sandra perservers to build a house from scratch in Dublin: an ambitious dream whilst trying to escape the…
10/06/2022 @ 9:00 pm $40 – $50 We are excited to bring you a much anticipated live event. Join us in the beautiful Minerva Space at the Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute, for a night of pure entertainment and cheesy disco classics with Ballarat's most notorious television duo Lance DeBoyle and Gabriella Labucci. This event will be broadcast live to community television station C31…
15/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 1:00 pm $33.00 Image: Seville Oranges (detail) | Geoff Roderick A workshop in painting basics. In these sessions Geoff will be using water based artists quality Gouache (poster paint). Geoff sites five reasons for choosing this medium to teach. It is opaque, (unlike watercolour which is transparent) this means freedom of expression as it's easy to cover any marks…
19/06/2022 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm $10 – $30 The Ballarat Symphony presents classical music with a twist. A Toy Symphony with real toys. Beethoven letting the cat out of the bag. Mozart outdoing P.D.Q. Bach. And Haydn being more surprising than the Surprise Symphony. Music by famous composers…with something funny happening! Conductor: Hugh McKelvey Program: - Beethoven: Symphony No.1 - Leopold Mozart: Toy Symphony…
22/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 1:00 pm $33.00 Image: Seville Oranges (detail) | Geoff Roderick A workshop in painting basics. In these sessions Geoff will be using water based artists quality Gouache (poster paint). Geoff sites five reasons for choosing this medium to teach. It is opaque, (unlike watercolour which is transparent) this means freedom of expression as it's easy to cover any marks…
28/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm The Reading Room (2pm in the Library for a start @ 10.30am - 12noon) This volunteer run reading and discussion group meets monthly. It is anticipated that members will read the selected book prior to attendance.If you would like to be a part of this group (free to BMI members) please complete the Expression of…
29/06/2022 @ 10:30 am - 1:00 pm $33.00 Image: Seville Oranges (detail) | Geoff RoderickA workshop in painting basics.In these sessions Geoff will be using water based artists quality Gouache (poster paint). Geoff sites five reasons for choosing this medium to teach.It is opaque, (unlike watercolour which is transparent) this means freedom of expression as it's easy to cover any marks not needed or…
01/07/2022 @ 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm $30 Fanny Lumsden and her band The Pack are bringing fallow out on its last hurrah. After its wobbly start in 2020, to its incredible list of accolades including the ARIA for Best Country Album; five-time CMAA Golden Guitars including Album of the Year and Female Artist of the Year; AIR Country Album of the Year;…
04/07/2022 @ 10:00 am - 28/07/2022 @ 4:00 pm Image: Lillipilli Beads, courtesy Faye Heininger Exhibition of Works Prior to Faye's workshop on 20 July she will have a selection of her work on display in the Library. If you would like more information on Faye's work or attend her workshop go to our events page prior to 20 July or pop into the library…
14/07/2022 @ 6:45 pm - 8:00 pm $20.00 Dont miss this opportunity to support the BMI and see a great film. A heart-warming British comedy starring Oscar Winner Mark Rylance, the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, the worst golfer to ever the play the British Open. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN tells the remarkable true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator and…
14/07/2022 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Stars: Guruwuk Mununggurr, Wakarra Gondarra, Jack Thompson, Simon Baker, Callan Mulvey and Aaron Pedersen. We present this film to celebrate NAIDOC Week, 2022. This is the first film that director Stephen Maxwell Johnson has made since Yolngu Boy, 20 years ago. Set in the 1930s Northern Territory, where two cultures collide in the violence perpetuated…
19/07/2022 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm $10.00 Image: Courtesy Paul LambethThe Tour (by day)A colourful history of the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute and it’s people.Tuesday’s at 2pmBy appointment only, (to organise a volunteer guide we require 24hrs notice). Please complete the on-line booking form.Cost (incl. gst)$10 per personFind out about our Night Tours More Tour Information Enq/Book a Day Tour Subscribe Newsletter Become a BMI…
Minerva's Secrets Night Tours
Tue 19 May with special visit to Lantern Vaults
Tour 1 at 7pm – Tour 2 at 9pm.
Linen & Lace Exhbition
Includes Devonshire Tea | $20
Sat & Sun 22, 23 Oct
10am-4pm
Remembrance Day:
A Surgeon Commander & A Leading Cook - Recent War Memoribilia
Wed 29 Oct & 5 Nov, 5.30pm.
Coming soon…
Rozzi Bazzani. Stella Day Out: Katia Ariel & Samah Sabawi, Rachael Johns
Coming soon…
Dianne Dempsey, Chrissie Bellbrae, Paula Gleeson, Rozzi Bazzani.
Coming in November…
Stella Day Out, Ballarat, Rachael Johns & Margaret Hickey
Australian Heritage Festival
Minerva's Secrets
25 April – Tour 1 at 7.30pm – fully booked
Tour 2 at 9.30pm – still tickets.
Spring Season, History Talks:
Ballarat's Henry Lawson - The Dragon's Den - Gold! Gold! Gold!
Wed 3, 17 & 24 September, 5.30pm.
Bubbly on arrival & Featuring quality items from our Vintage Shop | $60
The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 2026 Calendar
Featuring illustrations from our Heritage Book Collection $40
Your gift will be tax-deductible this financial year if you make it before June 30.
Like many organisations the BMI faces significant funding challenges.
2 course dinner & lots
of dancing
