New Titles and Recommendations September 2025

Mystery 
Chasing Shadows | Robert Bryndza
Mystery 
The Healers | Ann Cleeves
Mystery 
On the Run | Kerry J Donovan
Mystery 
The Exile | Morgan Greene
Mystery 
An Inside Job | Daniel Silva
Mystery 
We Are All Guilty Here | Karin Slaughter
Australian Mystery 
The Pallazzo | Kayte Nunn
Australian Mystery 
The Midnight Estate | Kelly Rimmer
Australian Mystery 
Broke Road | Matthew Spencer
Australian Mystery 
Nemesis | Patricia Wolf
Australian Novel
The Occupation | Chloe Adams
Australian Novel
The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains | Sarah Clutton
Australian Novel
Shift | Irma Gold
Australian Novel
Lessions in Love at the Seaside Salon | Sophie Green
Australian Novel
Die by the Sword | Tony Park
Australian Novel
A Woman's Voice | Alli Sinclair
Novel
The Immigrants | Moreno Giovannoni
Novel
Secrets of the Starlit Sea | Santa Montefiore
Novel
A Beauthful Family | Jennifer Trevelyan
Romance
One Night In Paris | Nina George
Romance
Summer Island | Kristin Hannah
Romance
The Wedding People | Alison Espach
Historical
The Garden of Lost Secrets | Kerry Barrett
Historical
The Girl with the Suitcase | Lesley Pearse
Psychological
The Neighbours | Emma Babbington
Psychological
The Psyshopath Next Door | Mark Edwards
Psychological
Don't Let Him In | Lisa Jewell
Psychological
She Didn't See It Coming | Shari Lapena
Psychological
The Perfect Son | Freifa McFadden
Scandinavian
The Sleep Walker | Lars Kepler
Scandinavian
Pursued by Death | Gunnar Staalesen
Scandinavian
My Friends | Fredrik Backman
Non-Fiction
Annette Kellerman: Australian Mermaid | Grantlee Kieza

Rosemary's Newsletter

Authors of the Month

Gabriel Bergmoser

Gabriel is an award-winning Melbourne-based author and playwright. He won the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Television Sciptwriting Award in 2017 Kenneth Branagh for New Drama Writing and went on to win several awards at the 2017 VDL One Act Play Festival Circuit.

Chrissie Bellbrae

After a lifetime in the city of Melbourne, Chrissie was lured to the beauty of salt water, and acknowledges she lives and writes on the coast of Wadawurrung Country. The Florentine Quilt is her debut novel, inspired by a life-long interest in art, textiles and tales her grandmother’s tales.

Paula Gleeson

Paula writes mysteries and thrillers for all ages, usually with multiple twists and complicated females at the helm. She is an award-winning filmmaker and nominated non-fiction writer.

Each of these authors will be in-conversation at the BMI in September, find out more via our talks webpage or get tickets below

Book of the Month

Secrets of the Starlit Sea

Santa Monetfiore.

The moment psychic detective Pixie Tate steps inside the opulent Aldershoff Hotel in Manhattan, one of the last relics of New York’s Gilded Age. She senses instantly that a dark spirit is wreaking havoc within its elegant walls.

Pixie knows that she must use her unique gift to travel back in time in order to discover the secrets of the past, and as she slips back over a hundred years, she’s shocked to find herself in the midst of one of the most famous events in history.

As the stars twinkle overhead, Pixie realises that time is running out. But when she comes face to face with a man she thought she’d lost forever, will she keep her promise to save only the souls she should- or is it too late, and has she already changed the future.

Recommeded Reads

High Rise.

Gabriel Bergmoser.

After a year a searching, rogue ex-cop Jack Carlin has finally found his estranged daughter, Morgan, holed up in the top floor of a rundown grimy high rise building. The trouble is, Jack’s unconventional policing and
information-gathering methods in the past has made him some serious enemies…

The Florentine Quilt

Chrissie Bellbrae.

This is a story of three women, connected by place, birth, the ‘sight’ and the Arthurian legend of Tristan and Isolde. Women who contravened convention for love and suffered for their secrets, woven together as carefully as one might stitch a medieval quilt.

The story goes back and forth between present day and the 1800s with the three female protagonists from those eras connected by the fable of Tristan and Isolde. Through their sometimes difficult emotional journeys and heartbraking sacrifices..

Boney Creek.

Paula Gleeson.

Callie Madden, a grieving widow and single mother of three, is stunned to learn she’s inherited one half of Hawkridge, a beautiful acreage in the Mist Mountains of Far North Queensland.

A potential family scandal surrounds the reasosn for this bequest. Callie is to share the inheritance with Ben Galbraith. Ben plans to return to Scotland. How can they negotiate an entire year of caring for Hawkridge?

Stay informed of our new releases

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Thu 16 Oct – 19 Oct 

guides dressed in period costum

Australian Heritage Festival

Minerva's Secrets

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

Tax Deductible 

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

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your help.

2024 End of Financial Year Appeal 

Or alternatively go to our Donations web page.

Our Challenge

Like many organisations the BMI faces significant funding challenges. 

We thank you for your support.
The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 2025 Calendar

Featuring the BMI Image Collection | Now $20

Devonshire Tea & Fashion Parade

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

Christmas Holiday Closures | Library

Monday 23 December – Sunday 5 January

Dame Nellie Melba Birthday Celebration

  Performance – 18 May.

Australian Heritage Festival Events at the BMI

18 April to 18 May

Spring Season, History Talks:

Ballarat's Henry Lawson - The Dragon's Den - Gold! Gold! Gold!

Wed 3, 17 & 24 September, 5.30pm

Ballarat Heritage Festival Events at the BMI

16 to 25 May 

Dame Nellie Melba Birthday Celebration

  Performance – 18 May.

portrait of author with book cover

Australian Heritage Festival

Natasha Lester in conversation

1 May at 6pm

portrait of author with book cover

Australian Heritage Festival

Natasha Lester in conversation

1 May at 6pm

 Coming soon

Rozzi Bazzani. Stella Day Out: Katia Ariel & Samah Sabawi, Rachael Johns

Ballarat Heritage Festival BMI Day Tours

Two tours  on 20 &  21 May 

 

with Nicole Alexander

28 May at 6pm

with Gail Holmes

 Wed 4 June at 6pm

Ballart Seniors Festival 

Celebrate at the BMI.

 October 2025

Ballarat Pride Month

Events at BMI

The Month of June 

Ballarat Winter Festival

Events at BMI

5 July – 27 July 

 Coming in September

Gabriel Bergmoser, Tracey Lee Holmes, Dianne Dempsey, Chrissie Bellbrae.

with Michael Robotham

 Wed 20 August at 6pm

Tracey Lee Holmes: A Life Through Sport

Thu 4 September at 6pm

Raise a Glass for Brass

The Little Brass Band BMI Fundraiser

Sun 10 August at 2pm

 Coming soon

Dianne Dempsey, Chrissie Bellbrae, Paula Gleeson, Rozzi Bazzani.

BMI Fundraiser

Featuring:
The Hideaways,
The Harmonies &
Surf Shadows. 

2 course dinner & lots
of dancing