Established 1859

BALLAARAT

MECHANICS'

INSTITUTE

Ballarat’s Independent Home of Arts, Culture, and Literature

Latest Events

As Ballarat’s independent home of Arts and Culture we host a wide range of events throughout the year!  –  Make sure you check out the BMI events calendar to see what we have coming up.

Be a part of this much loved series – Twilight Talks

Latest news

Read up on the latest happenings at the BMI. From Library news and exhibitions to the latest word from board and staff.

Book of the Week

Rosemary’s Book of the Week No Comfort on a Chilly Night by Noel Braun Felix Schmidt is backpacking on the Camino de Santiago when he meets the love of his life, the beautiful French Pascaline. He brings her back to Australia where he joins a new firm of management consultants. Deeply engrossed in he company’s growth, he neglects

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Photography Collection

This image was used as part of an exhibition of photographs from the Max Harris Collection on the theme of Rupture for the 2023 Ballarat International Foto Biennale. On New Year’s Eve in 1991, Ballarat experienced 76mm of rainfall which caused flooding across the city.  This photograph shows Lydiard Street North cut off from the city at

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Photography Collection

The history of the (now) Canberra Hotel on the corner of Creswick Road and Macarthur Street. The first hotel on the site was called The Cornubian Hotel, a single-storey timber building constructed in 1861. The first licensee was William Ball (or Bull), but following his death in 1863, the license was transferred to Margaret Maule,

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Board Members

Cathy Drake is a commercial lawyer and a director of Nevetts Lawyers.  She has lived and worked in Ballarat for over 25 years, and in that time has been involved in a number of local community not for profit organisations as a board or committee member and as a volunteer.Cathy is also Public Oficer and

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Venue Hire

The BMI has a number of beautiful spaces that are available for hire. With reasonable ‘pay-for-what-you-need’ pricing, stunning heritage architecture, and modern facilities, it is the perfect place for your next event.

Membership

Invest in the Ballarat community by becoming a BMI member. Membership to the organisation allows you to borrow books from the lending library, as well as discounts to BMI events and other perks.

Our History

John B. Humffray arrived in Melbourne on the 19th of September 1853 on the Star of the East and had found himself in Ballaarat by 1854.

Because of the conditions he had seen on the goldfields he formed the Reform League to advocate for better conditions and treatment of the diggers by Government Officials. He was elected unopposed as an M.L.C. in 1855 and was elected as an M.L.A. in 1856 for North Grant.

Humffray was elected as President of the Committee of Management of the Mechanics Institute in May of 1859 when the reading room was established at the Ballarat Fire Brigade in Barkly Street. His term of office was interrupted by his Parliamentary duties so was succeeded by Andrew Anderson in 1860.

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BMI Fundraiser

Featuring:
The Hideaways,
The Harmonies &
Surf Shadows. 

2 course dinner & lots
of dancing