Eureka! I’ve found it.
Eureka Diaorama Eureka, you’ve found it!! Come in to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute library and see our Pop-up Eureka activity this week, commemorating 170 years ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Molly Rosalie Ham. Love, Death, War & Corsetry…. Her burgeoning corsetry business is starting to take off, thanks to some high-profile supporters. She’s marching with ...
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Our Library | New Releases & Recommendations December 2024
Go to the Library webpage to view all New Releases. Our Library Why not become a member Library Events Loading view. Today Upcoming Upcoming Select ...
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Celebrating our Volunteers this Christmas
You’re invited to the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute End of Year Party! Monday, December 9, 2024 4:30pm Humffray Space Music, Drinks & Nibbles RSVP: Friday December ...
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Jackson Dahlenburg Album Launch
Jackson Dahlenburg | Photo: David Miller Local Ballart pianist Jackson Dahlenburg, now resident in Melbourne, returned to the BMI on Sunday 10 November to launch ...
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Open Garden & Devonshire Tea | Errard Hall
Bean, Son & Co | superimposed onto a current photograph The Open Garden and Devonshire Tea event was a wonderful way to celebrate Spring, with ...
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Golf Day Fundraiser
We had a great day at the golf last Friday, we hope everyone enjoyed their day and congratulions to BJT Legal who won the day ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Counting Miracles Nicholas Sparks. #1 New York Times best selling author…. Tanner has spent his whole life moving from place to place, belonging nowhere. So ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Midnight and Blue Ian Rankin. John Rebus spent his life as a detective putting Edinburgh’s most deadly criminals behind bars.Now, he’s going to join them…. ...
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Art Gallery of Ballarat, Exhibition | Medieval to Metal: The art & evolution of the guitar
MEDIEVAL TO METAL, Until 2 Febrary 2025 | BMI events associated with this festival will be listed here as they come to hand.
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Swift River Essie Chambers. An incredible blend of intimate and epic – Curtis Sittenfeld. Summer 1987. On the sweltering streets of the dying New England ...
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Our Library | New Releases & Recommendations November 2024
Go to the Library webpage to view all New Releases. Our Library Why not become a member Library Events Loading view. Today Upcoming Upcoming Select ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
How James Became King: The True Story of James ‘King’ O’Malley Brian O’Malley. ‘King’ O’Malley is known to history as a ‘larrikin’ and maverick politician, ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
In the Margins Gail Holmes. We are the spaces between the words. England 1647. As civil war gives way to an uneasy peace and Puritanism ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Burn it all Down TG Reid. If you play with fire… When fire crews are called to a blaze at the home of a Kilwinnoch ...
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Rosemary’s Book of the Week
Subject – Life So Full of Promise: vivid, compelling stories about Australia’s lost generation. Ross McMullin. “His scholarship is impeccable, he writes like an angel ...
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Our Library | New Releases & Recommendations October 2024
Go to the Library webpage to view all New Releases. Our Library Why not become a member Library Events Loading view. Today Upcoming Upcoming Select ...
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BMI Monthly Calendar 2025
Due to popular demand our calendar is back again for 2025. The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute 2025 monthly wall calendar features twelve beautiful photographs from our ...
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Ballarat Heritage Festival
BALLARAT HERITAGE FESTIVAL, 16 - 25 May | BMI events associated with this festival will be listed here as they come to hand.
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Ballarat Begonia Festival
BALLARAT BEGONIA FESTIVAL | 8 - 10 March 2025. Related Events to be held at the BMI will be listed here as they are confirmed
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Australian Heritage Festival: Unearthed
AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL: Unearthed. 18 April to 18 May 2025. BMI related events will be listed here as they confirm.
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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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Golf Day Fundraiser | Results and Review
We had a blast at the inaugural BMI Golf Day last December! Congrats to the day’s wonderful sponsors and winners @haymespaint We’d like to thank all ...
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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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Would you like to submit a story or event to the BMI Newsletter?
BMI members are welcome to submit a story, news item or event to the BMI newsletter. If you would like to submit for the BMI newsletter ...
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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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