Victorian Seniors Festival at the BMI

Events at the BMI associated with the 2023 Victorian Seniors Festival

Day Tours of the BMI

October 4 | Lending Library | 3 Tours

10:30am – 11.30am
12.30pm – 1.30pm
2.30pm – 3.30pm

The Tour (by day) A colourful history of the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute and it’s people.

These tours are conducted by BMI volunteers for the Victorian Seniors Festival.

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.

Book attendance | General attendance $10 | $5 Seniors Festival, plus booking fee & gst

BMI Image Collection

Friday 6 October | Lending Library

10.30am – 12noon

The BMI is home to thousands of photographs of Ballarat through the ages. Through the lens of several different photographers and collectors including Max Harris.

Join us for a curator-led tour of the BMI’s photographic exhibition as part of the Ballarat Foto Biennale, as well as a special viewing of some treasures from our collection in our beautiful Heritage Reading Room. The tour will be led by BMI Curator, Ellen Becker.

The tour will be followed by morning tea in the library.

Book attendance | Free BMI members | $5 Seniors Festival, plus booking fee & gst

Card Making with Fay Marshall

Wednesday October 11 | Heritage Reading Room

11am – 3pm

Image: Happy Birthday | Fay’s Creations

In this workshop you will use your creativity and style to produce amazing greeting cards that speak to your friends, family and colleagues with personality and heart.

You will learn:

How to use paint to make your own original backgrounds.
How to use stencils, a medium and paint to make interesting raised backgrounds.
How to make fabric and cardstock flowers more interesting.
How to attach ribbon to your card so that it’s tight and won’t shift.
About the types of glues and fixings that work well.
Where to source quality supplies.

All elements are provided (ie card and fixings). Tea coffee and biscuits will be supplied, you are welcome to bring a packed lunch or visit our local cafes during a short lunch break.

More about Fay

Fay is a member of the BMI and has been producing greeting cards, arranged flowers, and undertaken research on behalf of the BMI for more than 15 years.

What Fay will supply

All cardmaking elements but feel free to bring along any elements you would like to include in your gift card.

Cost: Seniors Festival $15 | General Attendance $22.50 | BMI Members $20, plus booking fee & gst

A Talk,
Dr Phil Roberts OAM
Under Minerva’s Gaze

Wednesday 18 October | Humffray Room

2pm – 3pm

150 years at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute

Join Phil Roberts as he shares some of the fascinating details captured in Under Minerva’s Gaze. If you like a good story with a happy ending you will also be delighted by the efforts of recent Committees to raise money to restore the heritage building.

The BMI now shines out among the icons that testify to Ballarat’s position as a prize creation of Victorian democracy. As the editor of the Ballarat Courier wrote in 1890:

The gentlemen who have made their fortunes in mining or other pursuits all seemed imbued with the one spirit, that of adding to the beauty of the Golden City…having asmassed wealth here (they) have the good old Ballarat spirit to spend some of their superfluity for the benefit of the town. If the successful men of the metropolis showed proportionate generosity and public spiritedness, the Victorian capital would be ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ indeed. (source: Under Minerva’s Gaze – editors Jill Blee & Phil Roberts).

Morning Tea: The talk will be followed by a light afternoon tea.

Seniors Status: It will be necessary to show your seniors status on entry. (Not necessary for BMI members).

Cost: $5 Seniors Festival & BMI Members | $10 General Attendance, plus booking fee & gst

Dried Floral Arrangement with Fay Marshall

Wednesday October 25 | Heritage Reading Room

11am – 3pm

Image: Maria Orlova

A workshop in Dried Floral Arrangement.

In this workshop you will use your creativity and style to make beautiful dried floral arrangements and posies.

You will learn:

How to use colouring to enhance your dried arrangements.
How to incorporate loved items and fabric.
About the types of fixings that work well.

All elements are provided. Tea coffee and biscuits will be supplied, you are welcome to bring a packed lunch or visit our local cafes during a short lunch break.

More about Fay

Fay is a member of the BMI and has been producing greeting cards, arranged flowers, and undertaken research on behalf of the BMI for more than 15 years.

What Fay will supply

All cardmaking elements but feel free to bring along any elements you would like to include in your gift card.

Cost: Seniors Festival $15 | General Attendance $22.50 | BMI Members $20, plus booking fee & gst