Ballarat National Theatre | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb
Lots to dig about The Dog Logs by Evie Lamb, Ballarat Times When theatre-maker Gin O’Brien found a script for a play about dogs she ...
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Twilight Talks 2026 | Ballarat Times by Evie Lamb
BMI’s Twilight Talks Return by Evie Lamb, Ballarat Times The Twilight Talks series is back at the the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute this month with more ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Peg Rankin: A Journey of Faith and Resilience Peter Rankin SDB with Gerardine Christou Don’t miss Gerardine at the BMI on Tuesday 14 April at ...
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Executive Manager Update – April 2026
Executive Manager Update – Nev Ivey Since commencing at BMI, I have been struck by the genuine passion, knowledge, and commitment that each staff member ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
What The Bones Know Kirstyn McDermott A child’s bones, a lost girl, a mind adrift – sometimes what is lost comes back to haunt you…from ...
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A Message from the Chair | BMI Board of Directors | April 2026
The BMI certainly had a busy and productive 2025/2026 financial year, filled with so much generosity of spirit, innovative thinking, positive action and energy that ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Letter from Provence: A memoir Sheryle Bagwell Australian journalist Sheryle Bagwell’s move to Provence is enlivened by the discovery of a book of seventeenth-century letters. ...
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Stella Prize 2026 Long List
Stella Prize The 2026 Stella Prize Longlist presents another twelve exceptional works by Australian women and non-binary writers. Spanning poetry, memoir, fiction, non-fiction and graphic works, the 2026 ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
The Romanov Secret Chrissie Bellbrae Don’t miss Chrissie at the BMI on Tuesday 24 March at 6pm A priceless Fabergé jewel. An empire on the ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
The Missing Wife Kerry Barrett 1933 Hannah Snow is fleeing her unhappy marriage when she finds herself in a small hotel on the banks of ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
The Hiding Place Kate Mildenhall Don’t miss Kate and Josh Pomare at the BMI on Tuesday 10 March at 6pm From the Author of Skylarking, ...
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Early Australian Poetry Display
This display is arranged in our glass display cases in the Heritage Reading Room. Open during regular Library operating hours. This display has been installed ...
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A Message from the Chair | BMI Board of Directors | March 2026
I don’t know about anyone else but it seems to me that 2026 is just zipping by! The BMI is keeping up beautifully delivering a ...
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The Royal South Street Society | 2026 Season Events
2026 Season Events Victoria’s largest youth performing arts pathway and a critical contributor to the regional creative workforce pipeline. Entries for all disciplines open on ...
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21 HEARTS, A Theatre 180 Production | By popular demand
21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke, a THEATRE 180 production We are pleased to announce that THEATRE 180 have agreed ...
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ABC Radio interview with BMI Heritage Collection Curator Ellen Becker
From the Heritage Collection Curator – Interview with ABC Radio Sydney | Nightlife – Tuesday 23 Dec 2025 at 10pm The Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute, or ...
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Ballart Pride Month 2026
Sunday 1 June – Monday 30 June 2026 Pride Month (June) is the month where we celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual ...
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National Science Week
15 - 23 August | As BMI associated events are confirmed they will be listed HERE.
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BMI Monthly Calendar 2026
$40 – limited stock This year our 2026 calendar will feature twelve illustrations from the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute heritage book collection. All funds raised will go towards supporting the BMI ...
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Update from Liam Mudge, Venue Manager | Stage Ready
Stage Ready The BMI has received funding to launch Stage Ready — a new non-formal technical-theatre training program for regional creatives. The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute (BMI) ...
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The Guardian | The Rural Newtork – I joined the oldest and most overlooked library in my town – and it feels like being part of a secret club – Dellaram Vreeland
The Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute has had a reading room for 165 years but today it has just 530 members – and tens of thousands of ...
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School tour of the BMI – October 2025
School Tours of the BMIOn 9 October the BMI hosted students from: Lucas Primary School Lal Lal Primary Delecombe Primary Buninyong Primary, and, Mt Egerton ...
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Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute – Life Time Membership, Heritage Collection Volunteer, Marion Blythman
Marion Blythman Marion has been working on the BMI Heritage Collection for about 18 years! She loves working with her current volunteer team, Dani ...
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CDS Victoria, Collection Deposit Scheme | Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute
The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is now registered as a charity for donations. We are raising funds to purchase new display shelves to improve access, usability, ...
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Australian Heritage Festival | 2026 Theme: Change
AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL: Unearthed. 18 April to 18 May 2026. BMI related events will be listed here as they confirm.
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Ballarat Chess Club | Reinactment of the 1925 Chess Tournament
The re-creation of the 1925 chess tournament between Ballarat and Geelong, August 10. Members of the Ballarat Chess Club and BMI Patron Dr Phil Roberts ...
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Rex’s Snippets | The Basement… The Truth
Why are there windows in the basement? This is an updated account on the original article written by heritage architect, consultant and good friend of ...
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Rex’s Snippets | Cornish Pumping Engines
A Treatise On the 20th. June 1868, the secretary of the BMI, Mr. Batten, wrote to Mr. W.F.Fowler in London, the following… “Only one vol. ...
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Gift & Unveiling Function | From John Mildren OAM & Mildren Family
John Mildren OAM was the Federal Member for Ballarat 1980-1990. Prior to his election to Federal Parliament, he had been from 1970 a Senior Lecturer ...
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Looking for an adventure next Tuesday at 2pm? Why not take a day tour of the BMI.
These tours are a wonderful way of learning about the history of this important part of Ballaarat’s heritage, still operating 6 days a week. As well ...
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Rex’s Snippets | Visiting the BMI? | Where are you?
Newspaper Reading Room | Victoria League Room (ground floor) Lending Library | Batten Room Stand in the entry to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute and straight ...
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BMI Notables | Contribution by Neil Leckie | Dr James Robert Pound, Benefactor
James Robert Pound was born to Mr James Henry and Mrs Selina Maude (nee Walton) Pound at their home Lyndon in Riversdale Road Auburn, Victoria ...
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Rex’s Snippets | The BMI The Early Days
This is a open file of the minutes of the Institute from the inaugural meeting in 1859 to the annual meeting in 1863. It shows ...
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From the Curator | MacRobertson’s Steam Confectionery Works
Did you enjoy an Old Gold, Freddo Frog or Cherry Ripe chocolate over Easter? These much-loved chocolates were first manufactured by MacRobertson’s Steam Confectionery Works. ...
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From the Curator | Messer & Opie
Old friends William ‘Bill’ Messer and Francis ‘Frank’ Opie first opened their tailors on Bridge Street in 1935. The two had first known each other ...
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From the Curator | The Ballarat Courier
This month we are featuring the old Ballarat Courier building on Sturt Street. The Courier was established by Robert Clark and Edward J. Bateman in ...
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Would you like to help in delivering BMI services
A call for expressions of interest for:1) Anyone with the RSA certificate (or anyone willing to undertake the ‘Responsible Service of Alcohol’ certificate) to volunteer ...
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Significance Assessment of the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute Collection
The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute has been selected to receive a Community Heritage Grant to the value of $5,500 (excluding GST) for the Significance Assessment of ...
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