BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Melbourne BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20240406T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20241005T160000 END:DAYLIGHT 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 END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250816T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250816T220000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250605T021537Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250801T031934Z UID:65518-1755372600-1755381600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Craig McLachlan Live & Intimate - Six String Stories DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/craig-mc-lachlan/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:BMI Produced Event,Live Music,Talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CRAIG-MCLACHLAN-SixStringStories_CM_Hero_draft2-Liam-Mudge.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T193000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250522T034400Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T001437Z UID:65063-1755712800-1755718200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Michael Robotham DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/michael-robotham/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sq-promo-robotham.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250814T001943Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T002105Z UID:66976-1755716400-1755720000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | How to Love Yourself & Others DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-20-august/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/How-to-Love-Yourseld-Others-square-promo.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T170000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250714T045240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250715T044101Z UID:66222-1755957600-1755968400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Laura J Fitzwilson\, Book Launch - The Fool DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/laura-j-fitzwilson/ LOCATION:Heritage Reading Room\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/square-promo-laura-l-fitzwilson.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T200000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T230000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20241204T023112Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260203T025535Z UID:60476-1755979200-1755990000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Six String Blues - A Tribute To Blues Guitar DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/sex-string-blues/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Blues Festival,Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/square-promo-six-string-blues.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Matt Arthur Music":MAILTO:matt@mattarthurmusic.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250827T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250827T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250408T041557Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T042601Z UID:64376-1756321200-1756324800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-27-august-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250830T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250830T203000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250811T023940Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250812T005435Z UID:66742-1756582200-1756585800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Melbourne Guitar Quartet DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/melbourne-guitar-quartet/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Classical Music,Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/square-promo.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Concerts Australia":MAILTO:michael@concertsaustralia.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250831T130000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250831T140000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250722T023048Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T030553Z UID:66327-1756645200-1756648800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:A Poet's Guide to Love and Loss | A Ballarat Arts Foundation fundraiser featuring tenor Douglas Kelly DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/a-poets-guide-to-love-and-loss/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Live Music,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/victorian-opera-sq-promo.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250901T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250901T193000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250711T023001Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T001637Z UID:66163-1756749600-1756755000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Gabriel Bergmoser DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/gabriel-bergmoser/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/gabriel-bergmoser-sq-promo.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T173000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T183000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250728T035749Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T031406Z UID:66371-1756920600-1756924200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/twilight-talks-henry-lawson/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Fundraiser,Important Dates,Members,Talk,Twilight Talks ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/square-promo-2025.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250813T042810Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T042930Z UID:66936-1756926000-1756929600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-3-september-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250904T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250904T190000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250603T000019Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T233613Z UID:64998-1757008800-1757012400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Tracey Lee Holmes: A Life Through Sport DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/bmi-twc-tracey-lee-holmes/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Culture,Fundraiser,Important Dates,Talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sq-promo-tracey-holmes-v4.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250906T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250907T140000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250409T010714Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T075721Z UID:64397-1757152800-1757253600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Spring Book Sale | Reward yourself with loads of Summer reading DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/book-sale-september-2025/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Culture,Fundraiser,Members ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/book-sale-square-spring-2025.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T170000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T193000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250801T001930Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T003001Z UID:66551-1757523600-1757532600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Crafting Conversation: The Jewellers Edition DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/crafting-conversation-jewellers/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Art programs ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/square-promo-mgth.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Make Good Things Happen":MAILTO:angela@daltonbaker.com.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250813T043002Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T043105Z UID:66938-1757530800-1757534400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-10-september-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250911T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250911T210000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250212T025145Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250321T110610Z UID:61982-1757619000-1757624400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Goodbye Julia DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/bfs-goodbye-julia/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Externally Produced Event,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/sqaure-promo-bfs.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250914T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250914T160000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250805T063244Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T023211Z UID:66629-1757858400-1757865600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Fashion Parade Fundraiser | Vintage & Preloved Clothing Shop DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/vintage-collectables-fasion-parade-25/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Fundraiser,Important Dates,Members,Vintage & Collectables ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/promotional-square-2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T173000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T183000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250728T041859Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T032241Z UID:66377-1758130200-1758133800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Into the Dragon's Den\, The Chinese community in Bendigo DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/twilight-talks-saving-dragons/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Important Dates,Library,Members,Talk,Twilight Talks ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/square-promo-20252.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250813T043212Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T043312Z UID:66940-1758135600-1758139200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-17-september-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250918T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250918T193000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250611T030703Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T001953Z UID:65608-1758218400-1758223800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Chrissie Bellbrae DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/chrissie-bellbrae/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sq-promo-chrissie-bellbrae.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250924T173000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250924T183000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250728T042702Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T045221Z UID:66380-1758735000-1758738600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Gold! Gold! Bendigo - Ballarat DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/twilight-talks-gold-gold/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Fundraiser,Important Dates,Members,Talk,Twilight Talks ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/square-promo-20253.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250924T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250924T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250813T043421Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T043514Z UID:66942-1758740400-1758744000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-24-september-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250925T183000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250925T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250611T003027Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T002121Z UID:65587-1758825000-1758830400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Paula Gleeson DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/paula-gleeson/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sq-promo-paula-gleeson.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250930T173000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250930T183000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250828T015533Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T030623Z UID:67270-1759253400-1759257000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:A Creative Ballarat Workshop | Why Join? The Perks of Regional Arts Victoria & CRAFT Memberships DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/creative-ballarat-rav-craft/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Art programs ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/creative-ballarat.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251001T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251001T193000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250708T020553Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250905T043730Z UID:66044-1759341600-1759347000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Rozzi Bazzani DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/rozzi-bazzani/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Library,Victorian Seniors Festival ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sq-promo-rozzi-final-1.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251001T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251001T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250813T043556Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T045127Z UID:66944-1759345200-1759348800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Three Methods for Overcoming Bad Habits DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-1-october-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/square-promo-bad-habits-v2.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251004T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251004T210000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250925T034907Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250925T043007Z UID:67630-1759604400-1759611600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Spaceballs - a FightMND fundraiser DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/spaceballs-fightmnd-fundraiser/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Externally Produced Event,Film,Victorian Seniors Festival ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-spaceballs.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251005T150000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251005T170000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250709T015027Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250905T044106Z UID:66091-1759676400-1759683600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Three Russian Piano Trios DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/russian-piano-trios/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Classical Music,Live Music,Victorian Seniors Festival ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sq-promo-brian-champman.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251008T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251008T200000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250813T044851Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T045058Z UID:66952-1759950000-1759953600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Three Methods for Overcoming Bad Habits DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-8-october-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/square-promo-bad-habits-v2.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251009T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20251009T210000 DTSTAMP:20260419T190857 CREATED:20250212T040547Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250321T110559Z UID:62016-1760038200-1760043600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | To Thank the Room DESCRIPTION:This special edition of our regular Twilight Talks series will feature speakers discussing the history of cinema in Ballarat\, complimenting our free exhibition. Just a year after the Lumière brothers invented the cinematograph in 1895\, the first screenings were held at the Mechanics’ Institute\, meaning many had their first ever experience of ‘moving pictures’ in our beautiful Minerva Theatre. Since then\, thousands of movies have been screened in the theatre through its many iterations\, including at the Vegas 70 theatre which is being reactivated for this year’s Heritage Week. Come along from 5.30pm to grab a drink and wander through the exhibition in the Williamson Foyer\, the former candy bar of the cinema\, before the talk.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The BMI’s Twilight Talks series has been a forum for sharing fascinating history and radical futures since 2001\, check out our website for upcoming talks.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Not the Last Picture Show: The Lost City of Melbourne \n \n Gus Berger’s film The Lost City of Melbourne documents some of the many grand theatres\, cinemas and buildings across ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ which were obliterated at the whim of shifting – and short-lived – tastes.  Drawing on archival footage and photographs from the National Film and Sound Archive and the State Library of Victoria\, as well as interviews with historians and experts\, the film traverses lost pockets of the city which were sacrificed to the altar of the ‘modern’ from the 1950’s to 1970’s.   The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is delighted to be screening the documentary The Lost City of Melbourne with a live conversation with director and producer Gus Berger. Berger is also owner-operator of the Thornbury Picture House\, and the pop-up Blow-Up Cinemas.  The film will be screened in the beautifully restored Minerva Theatre\, which debuted the invention of the cinematograph for Ballarat audiences in 1896 and functioned as a cinema for much of the 20th century.  All funds raised from the screening will support the work we do to keep our grand 1860’s building open to the public\, and to continue our purpose to serve the community of Ballarat as intended from our inception 165 years ago. We continue to operate as an independently-run\, not-for-profit organisation\, one of the last remaining of 1\,200 mechanics’ institutes across the state. \n \n Speaker: Gus Berger | Filmmaker \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger is the director & producer of this film and a Melbourne based filmmaker When both of his businesses were forced to close as part of the Victorian lockdowns – Gus started to formulate a film on his city that was in a whole world of pain. Empty streets and shuttered shops. Closed schools & full hospitals. He started to look at what Melbourne was like during its boom years and was not only amazed at the pioneering and enterprising people that shaped the city at the end of the 19th century but was also shocked by the size & beauty of some of its buildings – buildings that are sadly no longer with us. He wondered what happened to the glorious cinemas that were on every street corner and why the grand hotels that hosted Mark Twain & Agatha Christie were no longer standing. What happened in Melbourne in the mid 1950s that brought them all down? So began a project of trawling through online photographs at the State Library of Victoria\, watching old film within the NFSA archives\, reading books on Melbourne history and conducting interviews with experts on Melbourne in his cinema foyer between lockdowns. As Melbourne slowly emerged from its multiple lockdowns and Gus’ cinema was allowed to re-open\, a feature documentary called The Lost City of Melbourne was born. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Gus Berger with Sonia Kilkenny\, Planning Minister.\n \n \n \n More about Gus \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Starting at 6pm (bar open at 5.30pm)\, close 8pm. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost: $15 general admission | $10 BMI members \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bookings\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2024 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 Thanks to the support of Community Bank Buninyong \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Follow Community Bank Buninyong socials: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 is part of the Australian Heritage Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \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 BMI news \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ANZAC Day | Ballarat Arch of Victory & Avenue of Honour\n ANZAC Day Feel the Spirits  The Arch of Victory Avenue... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 2026 BMI Appeal | Give now\n A message from the President Support the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Rosemary’s Book of the Week\n The Drowning Fiona Lowe Don’t miss Fiona at the BMI... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb\n BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb\, Ballarat Times The... \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Load More URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/bfs-to-thank-the-room-oct/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Externally Produced Event,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/sqaure-promo-bfs-update2.webp END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR