history

A BMI Fundraising Public Talk | The world in 2025 and beyond with Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC

05/03/2025 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm $35 – $110 Bar Open from 5:30pm $35 – $110 Humffray Room Get tickets The world in 2025 and beyond : What is the good news? What is the not-so-good news? Brought to you by Nicolson Construction Speaker: Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC Now in his mid nineties, Professor Geoffrey Blainey – Australia’s most significant and popular historian is

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Twilight Talks 2025, Season 2, Special Event | The Life of Walter Withers

30/04/2025 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm $9.73 – $13.83 Bar open at 5pm $9.73 – $13.83 Humffray Room Get tickets The Life of Walter Withers Until now there has been no family history of Walter Withers (1854-1914), a notable but underestimated Australian landscape artist of the Heidelberg school. For nearly 200 years his Birmingham ancestors had worked as tailors, sometimes also butchers. During the

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Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1, Special Event | Dancers on the Sea by Gabrielle Samson

26/02/2025 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm $9 – $13 Bar open at 5pm $9 – $13 Humffray Room Get tickets Dancers on the Sea: Stories from Atauro Island, Timor-Leste 1994-2002 Speaker: Gabrielle Samson, Author Gabrielle SamsonGabrielle, a writer of fiction and memoir, has won national prizes for her short stories and has co-written a radio play produced by the ABC. She has lived and

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Fundraiser for Ballarat RSL & BMI

$33 per person

Minerva's Secrets Night Tours

Tue 19 May with special visit to Lantern Vaults

Tour 1 at 7pm – Tour 2 at 9pm. 

BMI Fundraising Events book donation promotional image

Calling for Pre-loved books

These donation assist in our Library Fundraising Activities

We can take delivery during regular Library operating hours. See website footer.

Spring Season, History Talks:

Ballarat's Henry Lawson - The Dragon's Den - Gold! Gold! Gold!

Wed 3, 17 & 24 September, 5.30pm. 

Christmas Holiday Closures | Library

Monday 23 December – Sunday 5 January

Vintage Fashion Parade

Bubbly on arrival featuring quality items from our Vintage Shop

Sunday 6 September at 2pm - Cost $65

The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute 2026 Calendar

Featuring illustrations from our Heritage Book Collection $40

Tax Deductible 

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

We need
your help.

2024 End of Financial Year Appeal 

Or alternatively go to our Donations web page.

Our Challenge

Like many organisations the BMI faces significant funding challenges. 

We thank you for your support.