heritage

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1 | Ballarat’s Changing Scene – Changes to the Canadian Corridor

March 26 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Bar open at 5pm $9.73 – $13.83 Humffray Room Get tickets The Changing Face of the Canadian Corridor This talk will outline the impact of the goldrush and forestry on the corridor’s native vegetation and waterways. Featuring the long gone Bunny Railway, mining water races, mining infrastructure, […]

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Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1 | Ballarat’s Changing Scene – Change in Ballarat’s Car Industry

March 19 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Bar open at 5pm $9.73 – $13.83 Humffray Room Get tickets Changes in Ballarat’s Car Industry Panel Discussion: Chair, Phil Roberts OAM, Patron & Twilight Talks Coordinator. Dr Phil Roberts OAM Phil Roberts is the co-ordinator of the BMI Twilight Talks and BMI Patron. He is a former

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Medieval to Metal Rockumentary Film Series: ‘Don’t Look Back’ 1967

Curated by BMI Heritage Curator – Ellen Becker December 11 @ 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Bar open at 6pm $15 – $35 Minerva Theatre Get tickets Don’t Look Back Director: D.A. Pennebaker, 1967 (1hr 36m) Bob Dylan To celebrate the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s Medieval to Metal exhibition, the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute is screening three

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Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1 | Ballarat’s Changing Scene – Ballarat’s Growth: Infrastructure Pressures

March 12 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Bar open at 5pm $9.73 – $13.83 Humffray Room Get tickets Ballarat’s Growth – Infrastructure Pressures Panel Discussion: Chair, Paula Nicholson, BMI President Paula Nicholson | Chair, Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute Panel Members Terry Natt, Strategic Planning Manager, City of Ballarat Terry has been an urban planner in

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guides dressed in period costum

Minerva’s Secrets | Night Tour 2

October 25 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm $28.69 Explore tales of the weird and supernatural – the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute at night. Looking for a unique way to explore Ballarat’s rich history and culture? Look no further than the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours! This beautiful heritage building dates back to the 1860s and

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guides dressed in period costum

Minerva’s Secrets | Night Tour 4

November 23 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm $28.69 Get Tickets Explore tales of the weird and supernatural – the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute at night. Looking for a unique way to explore Ballarat’s rich history and culture? Look no further than the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours! This beautiful heritage building dates back to the

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Minerva’s Secrets | Night Tour 3

November 23 @ 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm $28.69 Get Tickets Explore tales of the weird and supernatural – the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute at night. Looking for a unique way to explore Ballarat’s rich history and culture? Look no further than the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours! This beautiful heritage building dates back to the

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Minerva’s Secrets | Night Tour 1

October 25 @ 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm $28.69 Explore tales of the weird and supernatural – the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute at night. Looking for a unique way to explore Ballarat’s rich history and culture? Look no further than the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute’s Night Tours! This beautiful heritage building dates back to the 1860s and

Minerva’s Secrets | Night Tour 1 Read More »

Twilight Talks 2024, Season 4 | Uncovering the Past: Johnny Alloo… of Ballarat Notoriety

November 27 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Bar open at 5pm $8 – $12 Humffray Room Get Tickets Johnny Alloo… of Ballarat notoriety Speaker: Author, John Smyth Article: by Edwina Williams, Ballarat Times – Friday 24 May 2024  When you hear ‘Johnny Alloo,’ you might be like many people in Ballarat who associate the

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Twilight Talks 2024, Season 4 | Uncovering the Past: How James became King

November 20 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Bar open at 5pm $8 – $12 Humffray Room Get tickets How James became King: The true story of James ‘King’ O’Malley Speaker: Author, Brian O’Malley Brian O’Malley is a retired Australian Federal public servant with experience in law enforcement functions and wide range of work and

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Guides in period costume

Minerva's Secrets Night Tours

Night Tours

Fri 31 Oct – Sat 15 Nov

& Fri 12 Dec
 

Tour 1 at 7pm
Tour 2 at 9pm. 

Ballarat Heritage Festival BMI Day Tours

Two tours  on 20 &  21 May 

 

Tax Deductible 

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

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2024 End of Financial Year Appeal 

 
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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. 

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. 

portrait of author with book cover

Australian Heritage Festival

Natasha Lester in conversation

1 May at 6pm. 

with Nicole Alexander

28 May at 6pm. 

Linen & Lace Exhbition

Includes Devonshire Tea | $20

Sat & Sun 22, 23 Oct
10am-4pm

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 November

Stella Day Out, Ballarat, Rachael Johns & Margaret Hickey

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.

 Coming soon

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

Thu 16 Oct – 19 Oct 

Remembrance Day:

A Surgeon Commander & A Leading Cook - Recent War Memoribilia

Wed 29 Oct & 5 Nov, 5.30pm. 

BMI Fundraiser

Featuring:
The Hideaways,
The Harmonies &
Surf Shadows. 

2 course dinner & lots
of dancing