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The Reading Room 

This volunteer run reading and discussion group meets monthly. It is anticipated that members will read the selected book prior to attendance.
If you would like to be a part of this group (free to BMI members) please complete the Expression of Interest. We welcome your feedback through this form as we progress this member lead initiative. 
 
Expression of Interest to participate >

For more information go to

This event is a BMI Community Cultural Project – Ballarat’s Oldest Cultural Institution

Young person wearing blue cap reading book outdoors

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 and volunteer brings to this organization.  It is this collective capability that ensures we are not only recognized for our remarkable building, but are continuing to evolve as a vibrant

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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 an award-winning author comes a contemporary gothic tale of guilt, grief and redemption. In the village of Kiln Creek in the Victorian Highlands, a ghost gum falls in a storm.

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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 would be the envy of any For Profit business.  Of course there have been challenges, but as has been the case for 166 years, these challenges have been seen as

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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. After buying an ancient stone house in Provence, Australian journalist Sheryle Bagwell finds in her attic an old edition of selected letters by the seventeenth-century French noblewoman Madame de Sévigné,

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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 longlist presents themes that explore the transformative power of memory, truth and the intrinsic beauty of creative fiction. This year Stella received 212 entries. In the coming weeks, this list will be

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