Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute

Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour
2026-04-24 21:00 - 22:00, 2026-05-19 21:00 - 22:00, 2026-06-12 21:00 - 22:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
October 31
@
9:00 pm
–
10:00 pm
$27.50
Meet at the BMI entrance

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Explore tales of the weird and supernatural – the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute at night. Looking for a unique way to explore Ballarat’s rich history and culture? Look no further than the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours!
This beautiful heritage building dates back to the 1860s and boasts a fascinating history that is just waiting to be explored. During these tours, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute, exploring the library’s impressive collection of rare books and manuscripts, and learn about the building’s original purpose as a hub for scientific and technological education. And make sure to check out the basement, which is steeped in mystery and intrigue – you never know what secrets you might uncover!
Katrina Hill & Tim Harris | Photo: Jess Schroeter
Whether you’re a local looking to discover more about your city’s history, or a visitor seeking a unique and memorable experience, the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours are not to be missed.
Led by expert guides who are passionate about the building’s history, these tours will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of Ballarat. Book your tickets today and get ready to step back in time!
The tours have a small capacity, and therefore, numbers are limited.
Group bookings are available – please contact our Tours Coordinator – Katrina Hill
Note | Accessibility
Most of this tour is wheelchair accessible, however the tour does include entry into the BMI Basement, which is not wheelchair accessible. The tour does involve stairs, however a lift is available throughout (except to the basement). This tour is not Auslan interpreted, and the guide does not use any amplification system. Tour groups will enter dimly lit areas of the building under supervision of the guide.
BMI Accessibility information can be found at https://ballaratmi.org.au/accessibility
Cost / Bookings: $28.69 includes gst & booking fee

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More Tours

The research material for your tour has been drawn from – Under Minerva’s Gaze: 150 years at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute (edited by Jill Blee and Phil Roberts).
This reference material is available for purchase at the Library or can be purchased via our Shop.

Under Minerva’s Gaze

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Twilight Talks: Focus on Ballarat - Nostalgic memories of Stawell & Ballarat - 1950s and 1960s
2026-04-29 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
April 29
@
5:30 pm
–
6:30 pm
$9 – $13
Humffray Room

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Dickie Larsen’s Pumpkin & Other Stories
Speaker: Geoff Carr, author

Spike is a young boy in 1950s Australia, surrounded by sprawling landscapesand a menagerie of animals. Together with his friends Leany and Riddy, they do what all young boys in the bush do: make their own fun.
From chooks in outhouses, exploding trees and rats at the flicks to standing up to backyard bullies, farewelling dear friends and making unexpected new ones, Dickie Larsen’s Pumpkin & Other Stories traverses the passing of time, documenting a life well lived and fondly remembered.
Laced with dry humour and typical understated Australian cadence, Dickie Larsen’s Pumpkin & Other Stories invites readers to look back at life in a time gone by and delight in the charming stories of author Geoff Carr.

Reviews
Dickie Larsen’s Pumpkin & Other Stories is unlike anything I’ve read before. It feels like a eulogy – not a sombre one, but more in the way you might catch up with friends from years gone, with a beer in hand, and swap stories and laughter and tears. It’s filled with absurdity, heartbreak, humour and a quiet reverence that never quite leaves, even long after you’ve finished reading it. These aren’t just stories; they’re lived-in moments, softened by age and nostalgia and celebratory for the joy of having truly known someone. Among that, Carr gives us – the reader – something precious: the gift of sharing. These are no longer just his memories – they’re ours. And in that act of sharing, the people and characters and souls and memories tied up within these stories live on. They continue to exist beside him and now, beside us. Stephanie, ARC Reviewer
About the speaker
Geoff Carr, author
Geoff Carr is a Ballarat-based author of short stories inspired by his childhood. He grew up in the Wimmera town of Stawell and cherished his caring and loving upbringing enveloped in the blue silhouettes of the famous Grampians and lesser- known Black Ranges. This was the setting before commencing his teaching career and settling in Ballarat for over fifty years.
Dickie Larsen’s Pumpkin; Other Stories is a collection of short stories that presents a sentimental portrait of boyhood and bush life told through Carr’s quintessentially Australian humour and country charm.
‘This is a book of memories. I want people to be transported back in time where thosenostalgic memories can be reignited,’ Carr said. Early readers have praised this collection as both a tribute and a celebration, “like catching up with old friends, swapping stories, laughter and tears.” The standout piece, Through Coloured Windows explores grief with striking tenderness, while the book’s namesake, Dickie Larsen’s Pumpkin is celebration as “one-of-a-kind, laugh-your-ass-off funny!”
This event will be supported by Community Bank Buninyong

$13 per person plus booking fee, general admission | $9 for BMI members plus booking fee.
Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

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This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Kadampa Meditation Series | Love Changes Everything: How to Transform Yourself & the World Around You
2026-04-29 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-06 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Lending Library, Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, Victoria, 3350, Australia
April 15
@
7:00 pm
–
8:00 pm
Free – $12
Lending Library, ground floor

These classes offer simple, practical methods to improve the quality of our life and develop inner peace
through meditation and Buddhist teachings.
The in-person setting fosters a supportive community and
offers real-time interaction with the teacher for personalized guidance.
Classes include guided meditations and teachings to help us solve our
daily problems and find the lasting happiness we seek.
Beginners welcome, no bookings required.
Free for Kadampa members
Kadampa Meditation Centre Australia (Ballarat Branch)
info@meditateinmelbourne.org | 0455205589
meditateinballarat.org
ABN 86 114 195 550
KMC Australia is a not-for-profit organisation

Bookings

The Teacher
Christielli Portela has been teaching modern Kadampa Buddhism for a decade. As an experienced and well-loved teacher, she inspires people to use Buddhist meditation to improve their lives through her sincere example and clear teachings.

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

In Conversation with Anna Johnston
2026-04-30 18:30 - 20:00 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
April 30
@
6:30 pm
–
8:00 pm
$11.78
Humffray Room

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When lemons give you life
Anna Johnston

‘Smart, authentic and full of heart’ – Graeme Simsion
From the author of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
Redemption is a dish best served warm…
Retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow has lost his appetite for life. Widowed, grieving and living in an aged care facility where beige slop passes for food, Griff is done – with guilt, with loneliness and with the lie that made headlines when he was diagnosed with dementia. Planning one final act, Griff breaks into the nursing home kitchen to cook one last lemon tart. But the simple act of cooking awakens a long-forgotten joy and soon he’s restoring flavour, dignity and delight to his fellow residents. Meanwhile, his estranged sister, Lisa, is grappling with a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis, an unexpected romance and a frightening health reality of her own. As secrets simmer and second chances collide, both siblings are forced to confront what it really means to choose life.
Drawing on Anna Johnston’s experience working in aged care, the novel offers a rare and compassionate perspective on how people diagnosed with dementia are often dismissed, underestimated and quietly erased. By telling the story through the eyes of a man who carries the diagnosis yet remains fully lucid, the book invites readers to experience, from the inside, what it feels like to be unseen.
Described as ‘Ratatouille meets A Man Called Ove’, Anna Johnston’s second novel blends warmth, humour and emotional depth while tackling timely conversations around ageing, dementia, neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ visibility in aged care, and the power of everyday kindness. It is about being seen, by others, and by ourselves, and about the possibility of reconciliation, healing and second chances at any stage of life.

About the author

Anna Johnston is a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and Australian author with a love for the heartfelt and hilarious. She grew up in country Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she lives with her husband and daughters.
Anna followed her heart into her grandfather’s nursing home where she became the social support coordinator, taking great delight in shaking up the usual program. When injury left her unable to continue working in aged care, she began to write about it, channelling her love for older people onto the page.
Anna’s debut novel The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife became a international bestseller and has been optioned by Netflix.

Praise for When lemons give you life
This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events.

Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

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‘An absolute chef’s kiss of a novel, prepared with heart and humour, guaranteed to please your palate.’ Troy Hunter, author of Gus and the Missing Boy
‘Smart, authentic and full of heart.’ Graeme Simsion, internationally bestselling author of The Rosie Project
‘Written with empathy, insight and authenticity, When Lemons Give You Life is a delicious journey from regret to reconciliation. Heartfelt, funny and uplifting.’ Julietta Henderson, bestselling author of The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman
‘For the burnt-out and world-weary, Anna Johnston’s novels offer essential therapy – wickedly funny stories about flawed heroes with the power to restore our faith in each other.’ Kirsten Miller, author of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books
‘A delicious treat of a novel, rich with thecomplex flavours of love, loss, familial relationships and redemption. I adored it.’ Emma Grey, internationally bestselling author of Pictures of You
‘Anna Johnston imbues her characters with a warmth, tenderness and singularity that makes them irresistible. A charming tale of redemption, complex sibling bonds and the joy of a meal cooked with love, this book will leave your heart full and your tastebuds ignited.’ Mikki Brammer, internationally bestselling author of The Collected Regrets of Clover

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Artistanbul: Create your own Turkish Mosaic Lamp
2026-05-03 13:00 - 16:00 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
May 3
@
1:00 pm
–
4:00 pm
$79 – $129
Humffray Room

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DIY Workshop | Turkish Mosaic Lamp
Bring colour, light, and creativity together in this hands-on Turkish Mosaic Lamp Workshop hosted by ArtIstanbul, right in the heart of Ballarat.
Guided by our friendly instructors, you’ll design and build your very own mosaic lamp using pre-cut glass and low-fume adhesive – no cutting or grouting required. Perfect for beginners and all skill levels!
Each guest will take home a stunning, fully functional lamp and a take-home grout kit for finishing touches once dry.
Choose Your Lamp Style:
• Candle Holder – $79
• Table Lamp (Botti) – $109
• Swan Lamp – $129

Optional Add-ons:
Take home your own DIY Lamp Kit (25% off retail) or browse our pop-up store featuring jewellery, ceramics and finished lamps.
All materials, bulbs, aprons, and gloves are included – just bring your creativity!
What’s Included:
All materials & tools | Step-by-step instruction | Take-home grout kit | Retail pop-up access.
Please arrive 10–15 minutes early to collect your lamp base and get settled.
Queries M: 0410 052 134

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This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Pub Cinemas Presents: 'In The Shadow of the Gallows' & short film 'Vendetta 19'
2026-05-04 19:00 - 21:00 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
May 4
@
7:00 pm
–
9:00 pm
$21
Minerva Space

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Presented by Pub Cinemas: In the Shadow of the Gallows

In 1873 a frail figure was walked to the gallows at the Adelaide Gaol. She had been convicted of murdering her husband, and there would be de no reprise. The hanging of Elizabeth Woolcock has gone on in Australian true crime history as one of the most contested cases to result in capital punishment.
In The Shadow Of The Gallows is a psychological and biographical masterpiece that delves into not only the biographical and forensic details of the case, but also the psychological state of a 23 year old woman in the final hour of her life.
Pub Cinemas invites to you view this original Australian production in the surrounds of one of our pub screening partners. We are dedicated to presenting amazing stories with a pint at your favourite local. Different to a cinema, Pub Cinemas brings you real stories about the people who made us who we are today.

Written by Regina Chieftain & staring Hilary Boyce.
Rated MA15. (NLSV)
Vendetta 19

Melbourne’s inner suburbs erupt in gang violence during the 1919 Fitzroy Vendetta. After a year of bloodshed, Squizzy Taylor stands alone, solidifying his notoriety. Chronicles the early criminal exploits of these infamous gangsters.

Written Written and Directed by Roy Maloy.
Pub Cinemas

$21.00 per person

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This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Twilight Talks: Focus on Ballarat - What We Watched Before Cinema: ‘Entertainments’ at the Mechanics’ Hall, 1863–1919
2026-05-06 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
May 6
@
5:30 pm
–
6:30 pm
$9 – $13
Humffray Room

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What We Watched Before Cinema: ‘Entertainments’ at the Mechanics’ Hall, 1863–1919
Speaker: Ellen Becker

When the Mechanics’ Hall opened in 1863, the people of Ballarat flocked to see some strange and spectacular contemporary entertainments — mesmerists, automata, waxworks, human curiosities, and the magic of the first moving image technologies. Join Curator Ellen Becker in traversing the entertainments held in the hey day of the hall, before it was converted into the Britannia Cinema in 1919.
About the speaker
Ellen Becker, BMI Heritage Collection Curator
Ellen Becker is a museum and cultural heritage professional, currently working as the Heritage Collections Curator at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, as well as Property Coordinator of Old Melbourne Gaol and Polly Woodside at the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).
This event will be supported by Community Bank Buninyong

$13 per person plus booking fee, general admission | $9 for BMI members plus booking fee.
Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

Get Tickets

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

One Tease Rules Them All: Fellowship of the G-String - The Burlesque Parody
2026-05-08 19:30 - 21:30 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
May 8
@
7:30 pm
–
9:30 pm
$48.79
Minerva Space

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An epic burlesque fantasy parody where Middle-earth is reimagined through
glitter, glamour, and glorious mischief.

One Tease to Rule Them All is a theatrical burlesque revue inspired by legendary fantasy worlds and the archetypes we know and love, hobbits, heroes, wizards, warriors, and shadowy foes.
Nine incredible performers gather to bring Middle Earth to life in a spectacle of seduction, spectacle, and storytelling.
Each member of this enchanting fellowship brings their own magic to the stage — from sultry burlesque and spellbinding circus artistry to theatrical characters drawn from the realms of fantasy. Together they weave a tale of mischief, glamour, and daring adventure, where heroes shimmer, villains tempt, and every costume hides a little bit of magic.
This is not a direct retelling, but a playful and spectacular reimagining, told through the art of burlesque, circus, and character-driven performance.
Follow a fellowship of bold performers as they embark on a daring quest for the Golden G-string. Along the way, expect dramatic reveals, handcrafted costumes, cinematic lighting, tongue-in-cheek humour, and moments of pure theatrical magic.

Blending immersive storytelling with powerful stage presence, this production invites audiences into a world where fantasy meets sensuality and spectacle.
Whether you’re a devoted fantasy fan or a lover of live performance, this is your chance to experience Middle-earth as you’ve never seen it before.
The fellowship assembles. The quest begins. And not everyone stays dressed.
Tickets: $48.79 plus bkg fee. 18+ Event – Valid form of ID required
A bar will operate for these sessions.

Get Tickets

There is no allocated seating.
Ethereal Real Events Co. where fantasy meets reality in unforgettable experiences across regional Victoria and New South Wales. Our passion lies in creating immersive, otherworldly events that bring magic and wonder to life. From enchanted balls to mystical gatherings inspired by folklore, literature, and mythology, we invite dreamers, adventurers, and romantics alike to step into a realm where the impossible becomes possible

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Teeny Tiny Stevies - Brain Fart Tour
2026-05-09 10:00 - 11:30 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
May 9
@
10:00 am
–
11:30 am
$35
Insert venue…

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The ultimate live gig experience for young families.

Adult friendly kids music played live on stage by real musicians? We got you!!
The ABC Kids TV favourites and ARIA winners will entertain the whole family with the most wholesome live gig there is.
Funny stuff for parents, heaps of engagement for kids, the old feel young, the young feel like grown-ups and everyone meets in the middle for a rocking good time.
“Teeny Tiny Stevies are real life” – audience member, 4 years old.
“That was the best concert I have ever seen” – audience member, 7 years old.
“What a truly delightful morning. We just love you both, your wonderful band, and of course, your amazing music. We can never express enough how much all of your songs continue to move, educate and bring joy to our family” – audience member, 37 years old.
Get ready for core memories galore.
There is no allocated seating.
Note: Babies in arms/parent’s lap (aged 12 months and under) are admitted free with a full paying adult ticket.

Tickets $35 | Babies in arms/parent’s lap (12 & under) free with a full paying adult

Tickets

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

One Tease Rules Them All: Fellowship of the G-String - The Burlesque Parody
2026-05-09 19:30 - 21:30 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
May 9
@
7:30 pm
–
9:30 pm
$48.79
Minerva Space

Get Tickets

An epic burlesque fantasy parody where Middle-earth is reimagined through
glitter, glamour, and glorious mischief.

One Tease to Rule Them All is a theatrical burlesque revue inspired by legendary fantasy worlds and the archetypes we know and love, hobbits, heroes, wizards, warriors, and shadowy foes.
Nine incredible performers gather to bring Middle Earth to life in a spectacle of seduction, spectacle, and storytelling.
Each member of this enchanting fellowship brings their own magic to the stage — from sultry burlesque and spellbinding circus artistry to theatrical characters drawn from the realms of fantasy. Together they weave a tale of mischief, glamour, and daring adventure, where heroes shimmer, villains tempt, and every costume hides a little bit of magic.
This is not a direct retelling, but a playful and spectacular reimagining, told through the art of burlesque, circus, and character-driven performance.
Follow a fellowship of bold performers as they embark on a daring quest for the Golden G-string. Along the way, expect dramatic reveals, handcrafted costumes, cinematic lighting, tongue-in-cheek humour, and moments of pure theatrical magic.

Blending immersive storytelling with powerful stage presence, this production invites audiences into a world where fantasy meets sensuality and spectacle.
Whether you’re a devoted fantasy fan or a lover of live performance, this is your chance to experience Middle-earth as you’ve never seen it before.
The fellowship assembles. The quest begins. And not everyone stays dressed.
Tickets: $48.79 plus bkg fee. 18+ Event – Valid form of ID required
A bar will operate for these sessions.

Get Tickets

There is no allocated seating.
Ethereal Real Events Co. where fantasy meets reality in unforgettable experiences across regional Victoria and New South Wales. Our passion lies in creating immersive, otherworldly events that bring magic and wonder to life. From enchanted balls to mystical gatherings inspired by folklore, literature, and mythology, we invite dreamers, adventurers, and romantics alike to step into a realm where the impossible becomes possible

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

In Conversation with Victoria Purman
2026-05-11 18:00 - 19:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
May 11
@
6:00 pm
–
7:30 pm
$11.78
Humffray Room

Get Tickets

The Marriage Trap
Victoria Purman

In 1960s Australia, the scent of freedom is in the air…
From bestselling Australian author, comes the story of a mother and her two daughters, set in the tumultuous extraordinary decade of the 1960s. A time of great change; the effects of the pill, rebellion and new ideas on ordinary Australian women… as, alongside shorter skirts and the Beatles, they embrace freedom. The ideal Mother’s Day gift.
1960s Adelaide: The Langley family – Olive, Len and their two daughters, twenty-year-old Cathy and ten-year-old Evelyn – live a peaceful suburban life, although Grandma Langley turns up each Sunday lunch like a bad fairy to castigate them for their dubious morals.
Cathy, training to be a teacher, thinks women have it tough. No sex until marriage, then no work, child after child and the sacrifice of their desires to church, husband and family. Cathy is determined not to marry right away. Once married, it’s all over. A life no longer her own.
Young Evelyn wants to be a fairy princess … until she sees for herself the price women pay for such dreams.
When the new contraceptive pill arrives women can suddenly sense freedom. But powerful forces are aligned against women’s reproductive choice and a fight begins. A fight that takes on their own doctors, the might of the Catholic church, and the outdated morality of previous generations. For readers of Lessons in Chemistry.
Victoria Purman on the inspiration behind The Marriage Trap:
‘This was really informed by my own love of putting women forward in Australian history and also was inspired by the stories of real women who shared their experiences of that time with me. And I’ve incorporated them into the book.’

About the author
Victoria Purman | Photo Cath Leo.
Victoria Purman is an Australian top ten and USA Today bestselling fiction author. Both of her last two books The Radio Hour and A Woman’s Work, were Australian bestsellers, as were her novels The Nurses’ War, The Women’s Pages, The Land Girls and The Last of the Bonegilla Girls. She is a regular guest at writers festivals, a mentor and workshop presenter and was a judge in the fiction category for the 2018 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature and the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for an unpublished manuscript.
Victoria is based in Adelaide SA, but will be touring to NSW, SA and VIC.

This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events.

Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

Get Tickets

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

In Conversation with Kerri Rogan
2026-05-13 18:30 - 20:00 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
May 13
@
6:30 pm
–
8:00 pm
$11.78
Humffray Room

Get Tickets

After the Noise
Kerri Rogan

Lee squinted in the sunlight and patted around her. It felt like a mattress and a dog. For the first time in months, she had slept in a bed. Oh, dear. Moose. She had fed her a bottle before she had come to bed last night but not after that.
Lee Evans stands alone in the echoing silence of her grand mansion, the absence of her husband both a relief and a torment. Thirty years of marriage – ten spent as his carer – shaped her world and slowly shrank it to the boundaries of his illness.
In trying to protect her children, Luke and Katy, and her friends, Kelly and Jenny, Lee pushed them away. Now, wandering locked rooms and empty halls, she realises the fortress she built for safety has become a prison.
Should she stay in the mansion she’s inherited, or finally travel as she always dreamed? Why is someone old always napping on her favourite couch? Where did all the animals come from – and why is there a trampoline in the grand conservatory?
Can Lee rebuild her life, after the noise?

About the author
Kerri Rogan, author
Kerri was the child in English class who always received the following note from her teacher – ‘Great story, Kerri, if but a little too long’.
Now she lets the characters dictate how long the story is and lives in constant awe and wonder at producing something out of thin air. The imagination is a wonderous thing. She lives in the country where she can see the sun rise and set, be dazzled by the vastness of the sky, and the wonder of the stars, planets and meteorites.
Kerri shares this space with her husband and many rescued animals.

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events.

Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

Get Tickets

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Ballarat Film Society | Black Dog
2026-05-14 19:30 - 21:00 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
May 14
@
7:30 pm
–
9:00 pm
Minerva Room
Noir ‘Dog Movie’

A melancholic dead-pan drama about Lang, a former celebrity musician and stunt rider who, chastened by ten years in jail for manslaughter, returns to his dusty post-industrial hometown to find it run-down and over-run by abandoned dogs.
Lang joins a group of dog-catchers with the task of cleaning up the town on the eve of the 2028 Beijing Olympics. Dogs are running wild, but one is special: a black whippet cross that takes a disarming liking to Lang. Black Dog is slow and gentle, satirical and playful: a travelling circus comes to town, romance may find a way, yet small-town drama is always on the boil. Contrasting beautiful widescreen filming of the Gobi Desert with noir moodiness and slapstick absurdity, Guan’s film gives a bittersweet perspective. The love between a dog and human may heal, but ultimately cannot save the world. This is a beautiful unpretentious film, which won the top prize of Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024. Highgloss

China, 2024, 110 min. Dir: Guan Hu. Stars: Eddie Peng and dog Xin.
Ballarat Film Society

Membership
12 months – Feb-December: $60
Feb-July: $35 – July-Dec: $30
To join or renew your membership, please e-mail or phone Angus McLachlan (5374 2474), or come with cash on the night.
Membership can be paid by bank transfer or with cash.
For film enquiries, phone Sue Nunn: 5341 2266 or visit the Ballarat Film Society website
All films are subject to availability. If there is no next film shown below it means the BFS is working on next season’s programme.

Victorian Occult Conference
2026-05-16 08:30 - 18:00 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
May 16
@
8:30 am
–
6:00 pm
$140 – $150
Minerva Space

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The Victorian Occult Conference: ‘Mercurialia’
A day of finely curated lectures on Western Esotericism also featuring an occult market, speaker panel and door prizes. This year’s theme is “Mercurialia”; celebrating and exploring all things Hermetic in Western esotericism.
The Victorian Occult Conference was created in 2025 to help bridge the gaps in Victoria, Australia that exist between communities in different branches of the Western Occult Tradition, also called the Western Esoteric Tradition and the Western Mystery Schools. These branches can include but are not limited to: Freemasonry, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, Paganism, Rosicrucianism & Theosophy; encompassing traditional practices like alchemy, traditional witchcraft, ceremonial magic, astrology, theurgy, tarot, divination & more. ​​
The conference brings together people from all these communities, facilitating the spread of ancient spiritual techniques, illumination and networking. Our hope is that this encourages comradeship, eclecticism in occult practice and a holistic appreciation of the rich and varied esoteric knowledge held in these communities. New friendships and learning opportunities can be made.​​ We aim to offer a safe and inclusive space for like minded folk of all genders, races, ethnicities and ages to come together to learn with these shared values and visions.
Lectures this year include
Josephine Winter – “The Other Underworld: Witchcraft and Occultism in Australia, 1970s-Present”.
Setken – “A Monumental Egyptian Tomb In Melbourne”.
Benjamin Turale – “The Enigma of the Mercury Archetype in Alchemy”.
Dr. David Waldron – “The Almanac of a Cunning Man”.
Shu Yap – “Secrets of the Mercury Cycle”.
Peregrin Wildoak – “Go Gentle into that Good Night: the Esoteric Dimension of Death”.

Josephine Winter | Witch, Teacher, Author, High Priestess
Josephine Winter has been a Pagan or witch of some flavour for most of her life, beginning as a daggy teen witch in the 1990s before joining Norse-inspired Heathenry and later the Alexandrian tradition of Wicca. She holds degrees in education, literature, and the arts. She lives in country Victoria, in Australia’s leafy southeast. Over the last few decades, Josephine has been a regular volunteer and organiser at various Pagan and Witchy events around Australia, including the Mount Franklin Pagan Gathering, the Australian Wiccan Conference (AWC) and countless meetups and public rituals. She co-founded the Pagan Collective of Victoria in 2014, organising several Pagan Pride Days and the 2019 AWC under the Collective’s auspices. Josephine is a cofounder of Lepus Lumen, a teaching collective of covens, outercourts, and solo practitioners founded in 2019 with Jason Tremain. The Lepus Lumen course is now taught across multiple Australian states and is offered free of charge. Josephine has written several books on witchcraft, all available from good booksellers everywhere.

Setken | Artist & Researcher
Setken is an accomplished artist and researcher whose work explores themes of mythology, history, and spirituality, especially Kemetic (i.e. Ancient Egyptian) spirituality. With a background as an actor and another in visual arts, and years dedicated to uncovering hidden stories from Australia’s past, Setken brings a unique perspective to historical narratives. Passionate about preserving cultural heritage, Setken combines meticulous research with creative expression to shed light on forgotten histories. His documentaries have won awards on the alternative film festival circuit. His paintings have been featured in academic Egyptology books, including on the cover of one, and most recently in the Complete Encyclopedia Of Egyptian Deities. His book The King Of Melbourne: the spiritual life of David Syme, his newspaper The Age, and the legacy of his monumental tomb is being published in 2026.

Benjamin Turale | Lab Alchemist & Teacher
Benjamin Turale is a practicing laboratory alchemist whose work spans the three kingdoms of nature, specifically the vegetable, animal and mineral/metallic kingdoms, with a focus on metallic alchemy and the antimonial path to the Magnum Opus (Great Work). His creative output also focuses on the manufacturing of spagyric products and teaching traditional Hermetic alchemy through his enterprise the Temple of Mercury, for which he received the prestigious Paracelsus Award in 2021 for outstanding contributions to alchemy. Benjamin has been a teacher in one form or another since 2007. A former psychotherapist and university lecturer, now full-time Hermetic alchemist, he has a diploma in Hermetic Science from the International Alchemy Guild (IAG). Having also studied at the now closed Paracelsus College in Australia, he completed his training in the Frater Albertus alchemical lineage under Robert Allen Bartlett in the USA. Benjamin has spoken at many occult conferences internationally. He currently serves the IAG as Director of Education and on the executive board. Benjamin’s focus is to preserve and pass on the Hermetic tradition.

Dr. David Waldron | Associate Professor
Dr. David Waldron is an Associate Professor of History at Federation University Australia, specialising in folklore and community heritage. He is the author of Sign of the Witch: Modernity and the Pagan Revival (2008), Shock! The Black Dog of Bungay – A Case Study in Local Folklore (2010), Snarls from the Tea-Tree: Victoria’s Big Cat Folklore (2013), editor of Goldfields and the Gothic: A Hidden Heritage and Folklore (2016), and author of Aradale: The Making of a Haunted Asylum (2020). Dr Waldron is widely involved in public history through festivals, tours, and multimedia, including the Ballarat Heritage Festival and the award-winning podcast Tales from Rat City (winner of the 2019 National Trust People’s Choice Award & the 2023 Victorian Community History Award). In the tabletop role-playing community, he is an award-winning writer whose scenario William Bailey’s Haunted Mansion received a Silver ENNIE and a Victorian Community History Award, and The Last Dance of Lola Montez was nominated for an ENNIE. He is also a TEDx speaker and dramaturg.

Shu Yap | Teacher & Consultant
Shu Yap is a globally recognised consulting astrologer, writer, and teacher, based in Central Victoria, Australia, on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Certified through the Melbourne School of Astrology and the School of Traditional Astrology in London, with a passion for Medieval Astrology throughout the Persian, Arabic and Latin periods, Shu maintains an international consulting practice and lectures to professional audiences worldwide. Shu leads the Medieval Astrology Certificate program at Kepler College, mentors foundational to advanced students, and contributes monthly planetary forecasts for The Interpsycle Observator. Shu is also a dedicated practitioner of Jyotish under the lineage of Śrī Achyutānanda Dāsa of Orissa, India, bringing an integrated Eastern and Western perspective to her research, teaching, and practice.

Peregrin Wildoak | Esotericist
Author of By Names and Images: Bringing the Golden Dawn to Life, Peregrin was born in Warwickshire, UK and emigrated to Perth, Western Australia at age 12, where he has lived ever since. In his youth he came into contact with the western mystery traditions and was initiated into the Golden Dawn, eventually running an Order based in Perth. He holds a Masters of Divinity and has received initiation and training in several other traditions including Wicca, Vajrayana Buddhism and an Isis Mystery School.
More about The Victorian Occult Conference

Cost: $140 – earlybird, until 31 January 2026
Cost: $150 – Thereafter
Speakers and stallholders will be donating door prizes, all ticket holders are automatically eligible.

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This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour
2026-05-19 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-12 19:00 - 20:00 | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
April 24
@
7:00 pm
–
8:00 pm
$27.50
Meet at the BMI entrance

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Explore tales of the weird and supernatural – the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute at night. Looking for a unique way to explore Ballarat’s rich history and culture? Look no further than the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours!
This beautiful heritage building dates back to the 1860s and boasts a fascinating history that is just waiting to be explored. During these tours, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute, exploring the library’s impressive collection of rare books and manuscripts, and learn about the building’s original purpose as a hub for scientific and technological education. And make sure to check out the basement, which is steeped in mystery and intrigue – you never know what secrets you might uncover!
Katrina Hill & Tim Harris | Photo: Jess Schroeter
Whether you’re a local looking to discover more about your city’s history, or a visitor seeking a unique and memorable experience, the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours are not to be missed.
Led by expert guides who are passionate about the building’s history, these tours will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of Ballarat. Book your tickets today and get ready to step back in time!
The tours have a small capacity, and therefore, numbers are limited.
Group bookings are available – please contact our Tours Coordinator – Katrina Hill
Note | Accessibility
Most of this tour is wheelchair accessible, however the tour does include entry into the BMI Basement, which is not wheelchair accessible. The tour does involve stairs, however a lift is available throughout (except to the basement). This tour is not Auslan interpreted, and the guide does not use any amplification system. Tour groups will enter dimly lit areas of the building under supervision of the guide.
BMI Accessibility information can be found at https://ballaratmi.org.au/accessibility
Cost / Bookings: $28.69 includes gst & booking fee

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More Tours

The research material for your tour has been drawn from – Under Minerva’s Gaze: 150 years at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute (edited by Jill Blee and Phil Roberts).
This reference material is available for purchase at the Library or can be purchased via our Shop.

Under Minerva’s Gaze

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Panic from the Sky: A Call of Cthulhu Advenure
2026-05-22 19:00 - 20:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
May 22
@
7:00 pm
–
8:30 pm
$3 – $5
Minerva Space

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Presented by Tales from Rat City
Panic from the Skies is the fourth chapter in our multi award winning Call of Cthulhu liveplay series, delivering a fresh descent into mystery, suspense, and eldritch terror.
Faced with unsettling events and unimaginable dangers, our investigators must uncover the truth before panic gives way to madness.
It is 1917. The world is at war.
On the home front, Australia is wrestling with rapid technological change — aviation promising both
thrilling progress and terrifying new forms of warfare.
Then the sightings begin.
Strange shapes moving through the clouds.
Lights flickering across the night sky.
Unidentified flying objects over the Central Highlands.
Ballarat is thrown into panic.
Invaders.
But from where?
Outer… Europe?
Audiences are invited to join a team of plucky adventurers as they investigate whether these reports are wartime hysteria, elaborate hoaxes, or something far beyond what anyone could have imagined.
Blending live performance, improvisation, historical immersion, and interactive storytelling, the event will unfold in real time before both a live audience and an online streaming community.
Set within one of Ballarat’s most significant heritage buildings, the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, this production is produced by the ENNIE award winning Tales From Rat City team.

About Tales from Rat City
Tales from Rat City is an award-winning creative team whose heritage projects draw on history, folklore, and the dark forgotten stories of the goldfields. Blending meticulous research with atmospheric storytelling and live performance, the team creates events steeped in mystery, period detail, and cosmic horror.

Tickets: $5 for live performance, $3 for Live Stream – plus booking fee.
A bar will operate for this session.

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This event is part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

In Conversation with Amanda Hampson
2026-05-27 18:30 - 20:00 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
May 27
@
6:30 pm
–
8:00 pm
$11.78
Humffray Room

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The Model Murder
Amanda Hampson

A Tea Ladies Mystery
A model vanishes – A man is murdered – and the Tea Ladies are back on the case.
Sydney, 1968. In a shadowy city lane, a young man is shot dead. His glamorous fiancée, a rising fashion model, disappears without a trace. The police think they’ve found their culprit.
But Hazel, Betty, Irene and Merl know better.
The Model Murder is the fourth irresistible instalment in bestselling author Amanda Hampson’s much-loved Tea Ladies cosy crime series. A smart, warmhearted and sharply observed crime novel that proves sleuthing isn’t just for hard-boiled detectives.
Set against the fizz and tension of late-1960s Sydney, The Model Murder plunges into a world of fashion houses, theatre groups, back-street bookmakers and dangerous secrets. When the Tea Ladies begin quietly asking questions about the laneway murder, they uncover a tangled web of lies involving missing money, organised crime — and a truth someone is willing to kill to keep buried.
As always, Hampson’s great strength lies in her characters: four working women whose friendship, courage and stubborn sense of justice carry them far beyond their day jobs. Witty, suspenseful and deeply humane, The Model Murder blends classic whodunnit pleasures with rich social detail and a keen eye for the hidden lives of older women.

About the author
Amanda Hampson, Author
Melbourne-based author, Amanda Hampson has been writing professionally for more than thirty years and is the best-selling author of ten novels: The Olive Sisters, Two for the Road, The French Perfumer, The Yellow Villa, Sixty Summers, Lovebirds, The Tea Ladies, The Cryptic Clue, The Deadly Dispute and her forthcoming release The Model Murder.
A runaway bestseller, The Tea Ladies won the 2024 Danger Awards for Best Crime Fiction and was Shortlisted for 2024 Davitt Awards – Best Adult Crime & 2024 Ned Kelly Awards – Best Fiction.

This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events.

Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

Get Tickets

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Ballarat Film Society | Monster
2026-06-11 19:30 - 21:00 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
June 11
@
7:30 pm
–
9:00 pm
Minerva Room
Japanese Coming of Age Psychological Thriller

This psychological mystery/exploration of growing up from one of Japan’s major filmmakers offers superb acting and an intriguing storyline that seems darker than it ends up being.
A young boy’s mother feels that there is something wrong with him; that he is acting weirdly. Suspecting that a teacher is responsible, she storms into the school demanding to know what’s going on. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher, headmistress and child, the truth gradually emerges. Monster plays with narrative and perspective, leading us from simple judgements through to a complex understanding, and the corrosive effects of shame on children. The word ‘monster’ itself is potentially misleading – while suspenseful, this is anything but a horror film. The complex narrative technique is just one component of a film that is full of humanity, insight, imagination, and emotional resonance. Palace Films

Japan, 2024, 122 mins. Dir Hirokazu Kore-eda.
Ballarat Film Society

Membership
12 months – Feb-December: $60
Feb-July: $35 – July-Dec: $30
To join or renew your membership, please e-mail or phone Angus McLachlan (5374 2474), or come with cash on the night.
Membership can be paid by bank transfer or with cash.
For film enquiries, phone Sue Nunn: 5341 2266 or visit the Ballarat Film Society website
All films are subject to availability. If there is no next film shown below it means the BFS is working on next season’s programme.

In Conversation with Mark Smith
2026-06-23 18:00 - 19:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
June 23
@
6:00 pm
–
7:30 pm
$11.78
Humffray Room

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Where Truth Ends
Mark Smith

What if everything you believed in was a lie? Truth and betrayal collide in the new Mark Smith thriller, perfect for fans of Christian White and Lisa Jewell.
Meg Maher thought she was doing the right thing. Now she’s on the run.
When a peaceful climate protest ends with a violent explosion in the city centre, every anonymous member of the group becomes a suspect.

But the authorities aren’t the only ones hunting Meg.
Scared and alone, Meg seeks refuge with her father, Luke, knowing that every word she says puts him in danger too. But as the terrorism investigation closes in, Meg is forced to question her friends, her cause, even herself. Was the non-violent activist group infiltrated from the start? Or has someone twisted their mission beyond recognition?
What happens when the truth is the first thing to burn?
Where Truth Ends is a taut, character-driven thriller by award-winning author of Three Boys Gone, about when the fight for change becomes a fight for survival.

About the author

Mark Smith is the author of five novels, including his critically acclaimed Winter Trilogy. The Road to Winter was shortlisted for multiple awards and is taught in schools around Australia. The sequel, Wilder Country won the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for YA. His first adult novel, Three Boys Gone, was published in 2025 and his second, Where Truth Ends, will be released in May 2026.
An award-winning writer of short fiction, Mark’s work has appeared in Best Australian Stories, Review of Australian Fiction, The Big Issue, The Victorian Writer, Island and The Australian.
Mark is also an in-demand speaker at schools and an experienced facilitator at festivals and book launches.

This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events.

Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

Get Tickets

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke, a THEATRE 180 production | SOLD OUT
2026-07-10 11:00 - 12:50 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
Due to popular demand we have a second matinee on Saturday 11 July

July 10
@
11:00 am
–
12:50 pm
$38.50 – $77
Minerva Theatre

Get Tickets

Friday 10 July, two sessions: 11am & 7pm – Due to popular demand we now have a Saturday Morning session at 11am

Written by Jenny Davis
A compelling true story from WWII, honouring the bravery strength, love and hope of Australian Army Nurses
in the face of adversity.
Directed by Stuart Halusz
Featuring Caitlin Beresford-Ord, Rebecca Davis, Michelle Fornasier, Alex Jones, Tegan Mulvany and Helen Searle.
Vivian Bullwinkel was one of 65 Australian nurses who boarded the Vyner Brooke in an attempt to flee the Japanese invasion of Singapore in February, 1942. Bombed by Japanese fighter planes and after spending days at sea, she and some other survivors found their way to Radji Beach on Banka Island where they surrendered.
In one of the most atrocious acts of war crimes in our history, 22 nurses were forced to march into the sea where they were callously machine gunned.
The only survivor and witness, Vivian spent the rest of the war in a prison camp before liberation, and her remaining years fighting for recognition of the bravery of her friends and colleagues; their strength and courage in the face of death sustaining her for the rest of her illustrious life.
21 Hearts relays the resilient Aussie humour displayed by the women in the camp and provides a respectful and authentic voice to those who were silenced, remembering them for who they were and not just for what happened to them.
A story of hope, courage, resilience and heart.
Featuring 6 of WA’s most outstanding actors, 21 Hearts is a celebration of the human spirit and an uplifting, inspiring story which reminds us of the great futility of war.

THEATRE 180
THEATRE 180 is a proudly Western Australian company which tours works throughout the state and beyond, sharing heritage stories of Western Australia and our nation’s past to gain an insight into who we are now and our future as a diverse and vibrant multicultural society. In 2023 we were awarded a Western Australian Heritage Award for Contributions by a Community Based Organisation for our work in telling WA stories and in 2024 we were awarded Producer of the Year at the CircuitWest Showcase WA Awards.
THEATRE 180 is committed to regional touring and playing to audiences in Perth’s metro and outer metro venues, as well as activating found spaces and established theatres. We are proud to be part of the Preston Street Arts Collective, helping to revitalise the beautiful Como Theatre as a cultural anchor for the City of South Perth, welcoming audiences from far and wide to experience our CinePlay genre, an ensemble approach incorporating the immediacy of live theatre with the visual impact of cinema, for an immersive and unique live experience. This exciting genre is versatile, agile and adaptable, able to be presented in a pop-up style in venues as diverse as theatres, cinemas, country Town Halls and Recreation Centres.
This world-first genre was created with CinemaStage in 2020 for our award-winning adaptation of A.B. Facey’s A Fortunate Life (by Jenny Davis and Stuart Halusz), which has toured continuously throughout Western Australia and amassed nearly 160 performances so far, including a tour to QLD. We now having 5 plays in repertoire, including SYDNEY II: Lost and Found (by Jenny Davis), The Lighthouse Girl Saga (by Jenny Davis and Hellie Turner), Taking Liberty (by Ingle Knight – a collaboration with WA Museum) and 21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke (by Jenny Davis). The response to this work from around the nation has led to 4 Perth seasons, a WA regional tour and a season at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra in July/August this year. All seasons of 21 Hearts have sold-out in advance.
This year we collaborated with Government House Foundation on our 6th CinePlay production Arthur Haynes and the Smoking Gun (by Jenny Davis) which had a sold-out season at Government House Ballroom in September and our 7th CinePlay is a collaboration with WA Museum CATALPA: Flight to Freedom (by Jenny Davis) in October/November.
Over the last 6 years, we have also established a loyal following for our choice of gritty, international plays staged at Burt Memorial Hall, with our critically acclaimed productions of Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children, Joe Penhall’s BLUE/ORANGE and Lauren Gunderson’s I AND YOU, proving a demand for this exciting style of theatre with a strong audience database.
We continue our long history of conducting intergenerational oral history workshops with communities and working closely with Aged Care facilities in creating bespoke cultural events and programs with their residents and families; our award-winning work with dementia patients has been particularly impactful. This oral history work extends to veterans’ organisations such as Legacy WA and Buddy Up Australia.
THEATRE 180’s unique style of writing has been honed over 3 decades, and we are committed to the development of emerging WA writers through our Emerging Writers Program who are able to carry on this important storytelling legacy. Central to our purpose is sharing these stories to all Western Australians; our productions are built to tour, and we believe that geography is no barrier. With our strong audience relationships and large network of venues in outer metro and regional WA, we look towards the next 30 years and the stories they hold.

Vivian Bulwinkel
Tickets: $77 adults, $71.50 Concession, $38.50 Children (12yrs – 17yrs), $66 Group (minimum of 10 tickets), School Booking $25 (Teacher Free). Ticket sales close 1 hour prior to the performance.

Get Tickets

Running Time: 110 min
THEATRE 180 Production

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke, a THEATRE 180 production
2026-07-10 19:00 - 20:50 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
Due to popular demand we have a second matinee on Saturday

July 10
@
7:00 pm
–
8:50 pm
$38.50 – $77
Minerva Theatre

Get Tickets

Written by Jenny Davis
A compelling true story from WWII, honouring the bravery strength, love and hope of Australian Army Nurses
in the face of adversity.
Directed by Stuart Halusz
Featuring Caitlin Beresford-Ord, Rebecca Davis, Michelle Fornasier, Alex Jones, Tegan Mulvany and Helen Searle.
Vivian Bullwinkel was one of 65 Australian nurses who boarded the Vyner Brooke in an attempt to flee the Japanese invasion of Singapore in February, 1942. Bombed by Japanese fighter planes and after spending days at sea, she and some other survivors found their way to Radji Beach on Banka Island where they surrendered.
In one of the most atrocious acts of war crimes in our history, 22 nurses were forced to march into the sea where they were callously machine gunned.
The only survivor and witness, Vivian spent the rest of the war in a prison camp before liberation, and her remaining years fighting for recognition of the bravery of her friends and colleagues; their strength and courage in the face of death sustaining her for the rest of her illustrious life.
21 Hearts relays the resilient Aussie humour displayed by the women in the camp and provides a respectful and authentic voice to those who were silenced, remembering them for who they were and not just for what happened to them.
A story of hope, courage, resilience and heart.
Featuring 6 of WA’s most outstanding actors, 21 Hearts is a celebration of the human spirit and an uplifting, inspiring story which reminds us of the great futility of war.

THEATRE 180
THEATRE 180 is a proudly Western Australian company which tours works throughout the state and beyond, sharing heritage stories of Western Australia and our nation’s past to gain an insight into who we are now and our future as a diverse and vibrant multicultural society. In 2023 we were awarded a Western Australian Heritage Award for Contributions by a Community Based Organisation for our work in telling WA stories and in 2024 we were awarded Producer of the Year at the CircuitWest Showcase WA Awards.
THEATRE 180 is committed to regional touring and playing to audiences in Perth’s metro and outer metro venues, as well as activating found spaces and established theatres. We are proud to be part of the Preston Street Arts Collective, helping to revitalise the beautiful Como Theatre as a cultural anchor for the City of South Perth, welcoming audiences from far and wide to experience our CinePlay genre, an ensemble approach incorporating the immediacy of live theatre with the visual impact of cinema, for an immersive and unique live experience. This exciting genre is versatile, agile and adaptable, able to be presented in a pop-up style in venues as diverse as theatres, cinemas, country Town Halls and Recreation Centres.
This world-first genre was created with CinemaStage in 2020 for our award-winning adaptation of A.B. Facey’s A Fortunate Life (by Jenny Davis and Stuart Halusz), which has toured continuously throughout Western Australia and amassed nearly 160 performances so far, including a tour to QLD. We now having 5 plays in repertoire, including SYDNEY II: Lost and Found (by Jenny Davis), The Lighthouse Girl Saga (by Jenny Davis and Hellie Turner), Taking Liberty (by Ingle Knight – a collaboration with WA Museum) and 21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke (by Jenny Davis). The response to this work from around the nation has led to 4 Perth seasons, a WA regional tour and a season at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra in July/August this year. All seasons of 21 Hearts have sold-out in advance.
This year we collaborated with Government House Foundation on our 6th CinePlay production Arthur Haynes and the Smoking Gun (by Jenny Davis) which had a sold-out season at Government House Ballroom in September and our 7th CinePlay is a collaboration with WA Museum CATALPA: Flight to Freedom (by Jenny Davis) in October/November.
Over the last 6 years, we have also established a loyal following for our choice of gritty, international plays staged at Burt Memorial Hall, with our critically acclaimed productions of Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children, Joe Penhall’s BLUE/ORANGE and Lauren Gunderson’s I AND YOU, proving a demand for this exciting style of theatre with a strong audience database.
We continue our long history of conducting intergenerational oral history workshops with communities and working closely with Aged Care facilities in creating bespoke cultural events and programs with their residents and families; our award-winning work with dementia patients has been particularly impactful. This oral history work extends to veterans’ organisations such as Legacy WA and Buddy Up Australia.
THEATRE 180’s unique style of writing has been honed over 3 decades, and we are committed to the development of emerging WA writers through our Emerging Writers Program who are able to carry on this important storytelling legacy. Central to our purpose is sharing these stories to all Western Australians; our productions are built to tour, and we believe that geography is no barrier. With our strong audience relationships and large network of venues in outer metro and regional WA, we look towards the next 30 years and the stories they hold.

Vivian Bulwinkel
Tickets: $77 adults, $71.50 Concession, $38.50 Children (12yrs – 17yrs), $66 Group (minimum of 10 tickets), School Booking $25 (Teacher Free). Ticket sales close 1 hour prior to the performance.

Get Tickets

Running Time: 110 min
THEATRE 180 Production

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke, a THEATRE 180 production
2026-07-11 11:00 - 12:50 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
July 11
@
11:00 am
–
12:50 pm
$38.50 – $77
Minerva Theatre

Get Tickets

This 11am Saturday session has been added due to popular demand.

Written by Jenny Davis
A compelling true story from WWII, honouring the bravery strength, love and hope of Australian Army Nurses
in the face of adversity.
Directed by Stuart Halusz
Featuring Caitlin Beresford-Ord, Rebecca Davis, Michelle Fornasier, Alex Jones, Tegan Mulvany and Helen Searle.
Vivian Bullwinkel was one of 65 Australian nurses who boarded the Vyner Brooke in an attempt to flee the Japanese invasion of Singapore in February, 1942. Bombed by Japanese fighter planes and after spending days at sea, she and some other survivors found their way to Radji Beach on Banka Island where they surrendered.
In one of the most atrocious acts of war crimes in our history, 22 nurses were forced to march into the sea where they were callously machine gunned.
The only survivor and witness, Vivian spent the rest of the war in a prison camp before liberation, and her remaining years fighting for recognition of the bravery of her friends and colleagues; their strength and courage in the face of death sustaining her for the rest of her illustrious life.
21 Hearts relays the resilient Aussie humour displayed by the women in the camp and provides a respectful and authentic voice to those who were silenced, remembering them for who they were and not just for what happened to them.
A story of hope, courage, resilience and heart.
Featuring 6 of WA’s most outstanding actors, 21 Hearts is a celebration of the human spirit and an uplifting, inspiring story which reminds us of the great futility of war.

THEATRE 180
THEATRE 180 is a proudly Western Australian company which tours works throughout the state and beyond, sharing heritage stories of Western Australia and our nation’s past to gain an insight into who we are now and our future as a diverse and vibrant multicultural society. In 2023 we were awarded a Western Australian Heritage Award for Contributions by a Community Based Organisation for our work in telling WA stories and in 2024 we were awarded Producer of the Year at the CircuitWest Showcase WA Awards.
THEATRE 180 is committed to regional touring and playing to audiences in Perth’s metro and outer metro venues, as well as activating found spaces and established theatres. We are proud to be part of the Preston Street Arts Collective, helping to revitalise the beautiful Como Theatre as a cultural anchor for the City of South Perth, welcoming audiences from far and wide to experience our CinePlay genre, an ensemble approach incorporating the immediacy of live theatre with the visual impact of cinema, for an immersive and unique live experience. This exciting genre is versatile, agile and adaptable, able to be presented in a pop-up style in venues as diverse as theatres, cinemas, country Town Halls and Recreation Centres.
This world-first genre was created with CinemaStage in 2020 for our award-winning adaptation of A.B. Facey’s A Fortunate Life (by Jenny Davis and Stuart Halusz), which has toured continuously throughout Western Australia and amassed nearly 160 performances so far, including a tour to QLD. We now having 5 plays in repertoire, including SYDNEY II: Lost and Found (by Jenny Davis), The Lighthouse Girl Saga (by Jenny Davis and Hellie Turner), Taking Liberty (by Ingle Knight – a collaboration with WA Museum) and 21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke (by Jenny Davis). The response to this work from around the nation has led to 4 Perth seasons, a WA regional tour and a season at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra in July/August this year. All seasons of 21 Hearts have sold-out in advance.
This year we collaborated with Government House Foundation on our 6th CinePlay production Arthur Haynes and the Smoking Gun (by Jenny Davis) which had a sold-out season at Government House Ballroom in September and our 7th CinePlay is a collaboration with WA Museum CATALPA: Flight to Freedom (by Jenny Davis) in October/November.
Over the last 6 years, we have also established a loyal following for our choice of gritty, international plays staged at Burt Memorial Hall, with our critically acclaimed productions of Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children, Joe Penhall’s BLUE/ORANGE and Lauren Gunderson’s I AND YOU, proving a demand for this exciting style of theatre with a strong audience database.
We continue our long history of conducting intergenerational oral history workshops with communities and working closely with Aged Care facilities in creating bespoke cultural events and programs with their residents and families; our award-winning work with dementia patients has been particularly impactful. This oral history work extends to veterans’ organisations such as Legacy WA and Buddy Up Australia.
THEATRE 180’s unique style of writing has been honed over 3 decades, and we are committed to the development of emerging WA writers through our Emerging Writers Program who are able to carry on this important storytelling legacy. Central to our purpose is sharing these stories to all Western Australians; our productions are built to tour, and we believe that geography is no barrier. With our strong audience relationships and large network of venues in outer metro and regional WA, we look towards the next 30 years and the stories they hold.

Vivian Bulwinkel
Tickets: $77 adults, $71.50 Concession, $38.50 Children (12yrs – 17yrs), $66 Group (minimum of 10 tickets), School Booking $25 (Teacher Free). Ticket sales close 1 hour prior to the performance.

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Running Time: 110 min
THEATRE 180 Production

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

In Conversation with Benita Bensch
2026-07-15 18:00 - 19:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
July 15
@
6:00 pm
–
7:30 pm
$11.78
Humffray Room

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Seen Again: Light On Matrescence
Benita Bensch

Seen Again is a modern companion through matrescence, the profound transition
of becoming a mother.
Matrescence is a biological, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual transformation that can leave mothers without the language or support to make sense of who they are. Many feel disconnected or invisible, wondering: Who am I now? Is it normal to feel this way?
Blending intimate memoir, eighteen real-life stories and years of coaching into a compassionate framework, Benita Bensch explores the inner landscape and seismic shift of matrescence with unflinching honesty. If you have ever felt lost, remember: you are not broken, you are evolving. This is an invitation to reimagine your next season of life, free of shoulds.
Seen Again: Light on Matrescence is a return to the inner campfire, where the dark is honoured, the light is reclaimed, and your true self is waiting to be seen again. By you, first.

About the author
Benita Bensch, author
Benita Bensch is an Australian author, coach and speaker whose work explores identity, transition, purpose and visibility through storytelling and the creative life. She is a certified Motherhood Studies Practitioner with over a decade of coaching experience, drawing on narrative therapy principles in her work with women in rural and regional communities.
She is a certified Motherhood Studies Practitioner with over a decade of coaching experience, drawing on narrative therapy principles in her work with women in rural and regional communities.
Benita lives and farms near Moama, New South Wales, with her husband and four sons.

This event will be supported by Collins Booksellers on Lydiard

$11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events.

Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042

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This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.

Ballarat Film Society | Journey Home
2026-07-16 19:30 - 21:00 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
July 16
@
7:30 pm
–
9:00 pm
Minerva Room
Documentary Tribute to David Guylpilil

David Gulpilil, from the Mandjalpingu (Djilba) clan of the Yolngu people, was discovered by a visiting British film-maker and recruited into the world of film. Adventurous, talented, intelligent and ambitious, he became one of Australia’s best-known and charismatic actors.
Following Walkabout (1971), Gulpilil’s acting career spanned over 40 films, including classics such as The Tracker (2002), Rabbit-Proof Fence (2001), Ten Canoes (2006), and My Name is Gulpilil (2021); international attention soared with his role in Crocodile Dundee (1986). Gulpilil spent over 50 years of his life bringing authentic Indigenous stories, dance and music to audiences around the world, culminating in a collaboration with Rolf de Heer and Molly Reynolds on My Name Is Gulpilil (2021) which showed him looking back over a life of extreme highs and lows.
While dying of lung cancer, Gulpilil made his final wishes known – he not only wanted his body to be repatriated to his homeland Gupulul, a remote location in East Arnhem Land on Yolngu Country, but for the funeral to be captured on film – a final act of cultural sharing. The film crew chronicled an extraordinary journey across more than 3000 kilometers before recording the funeral ceremony, or Bäpurru, that was both traditional and unique. It was a collective act of farewell that will be remembered for generations to come. Madman.

Australia, 2025, 88 min. Dir: Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas. Narrated by Baker Boy and Hugh Jackman
Ballarat Film Society

Membership
12 months – Feb-December: $60
Feb-July: $35 – July-Dec: $30
To join or renew your membership, please e-mail or phone Angus McLachlan (5374 2474), or come with cash on the night.
Membership can be paid by bank transfer or with cash.
For film enquiries, phone Sue Nunn: 5341 2266 or visit the Ballarat Film Society website
All films are subject to availability. If there is no next film shown below it means the BFS is working on next season’s programme.

God of Carnage, A Ballarat National Theatre Production
2026-07-23 19:00 - 21:00 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350
July 23
@
7:00 pm
–
9:00 pm
$10 – $30
Minerva Space
The Tony Award Winning Play by Yasmina Reza
Directed by Ruby Abbott
After the event of school yard bullying, four parents differing views may have just created cause for another round; adults edition.
God of Carnage is a one act black comedy play. It won best comedy at the 2009 Tony Awards
and the 2009 Laurence Olivier Awards.
The play begins with Michael and Veronica, parents of young Henry, inviting Alan and Annette, parents of Benjamin, to their home to discuss the horrifying event that occurred on the playground that morning.
Eleven-year-old Henry refused to let classmate Benjamin join his gang. Not taking this dismissal lightly, Benjamin armed himself with a stick and knocked out Henry’s two front teeth.
With polite niceties wearing thin, the audience watches four very different people try to resolve this matter, convincing each other that it was not the fault of their own son, rather that of the other. With accusations being hurled around the room, the argument heats up even further when evaluating matters of racism, sexism and homophobia. By evening’s end, the gloves are well and truly off, with the adults behaving in a manner that is eerily similar to that which occurred on the playground.

Playwright – Yasmina Reza
Yasmina Reza is a French playwright, actress, novelist and screenwriter best known for her plays ‘Art’ and God of Carnage. Many of her brief satiric plays have reflected on contemporary middle-class issues.
In 1994, ‘Art’ premiered in Paris and went on to win the Molière Award for Best Author. Since then it has been produced internationally and translated and performed in over 30 languages. The London production, produced by David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers, received the 1996–97 Laurence Olivier Award. It also won the Tony Award for Best Play.
God of Carnage opened in London in March 2008, directed by Matthew Warchus in a translation by Christopher Hampton starring Ralph Fiennes, Tamsin Greig, Janet McTeer and Ken Stott. It was produced by David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers, their second collaboration with Reza. The London production won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. The play premiered on Broadway with an opening night cast of James Gandolfini, Jeff Daniels, Marcia Gay Harden, and Hope Davis. God of Carnage won Best Play at the 2009 Tony Awards.
Directed by Ruby Abbott
Ruby is a local creative artist, working as an actor, director, and producer. God of Carnage marks Ruby’s full length directorial debut.
Ruby has been involved in many productions in Ballarat and surrounds. She has performed several times with Ballarat National Theatre, including in Mr Bennet’s Bride (2022), Dust and Ruin (2023), A Date With Death (2024) and Dancing at Lughnasa (2024).
Ruby has previously served as an assistant director for many productions, including The Haunted Theatre (2025), Sister Cities (2024), and The Servant of Two Masters (2021).
Tickets: $30 adults, $25 Concession, $20.00 BNT members, $15 Children, Group package (10 adults), $180.00. Ticket sales close 1 hour prior to the performance.
A bar will operate for these sessions.

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No allocated seating
Running Time: 1.5 Hours (no interval)
Doors open 30 minutes prior to show start time. Bar available
Content warning – Strong language and mature themes.
Ballarat National Theatre

Ballarat National Theatre are a BMI Community Partner
Find out more about BMI Community Partnerships below.

Supporters & partners

This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work, learn and create. Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.
