Eighty student volunteers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will arrive in Uralla on Tuesday, 7 July, and then Deepwater on 8 July, as part of The Big Lift’s 2026 Winter Trip across regional New South Wales and Queensland.
Uralla Shire Council and The Big Lift are welcoming the students to town, with Uralla the only stop on this year’s trip to host the entire volunteer cohort. That means a concentrated program of community projects delivered in partnership with Council and local organisations.
Now in its 16th year, The Big Lift is a student-run volunteer initiative built on the philosophy of “paying it forward.” Each year, students travel through regional communities delivering hands-on support through projects such as painting, gardening, cleaning, and basic construction and maintenance.
While in Uralla, students will work alongside Uralla Shire Council, the Uralla Neighbourhood Centre and community groups on a range of initiatives. These include maintenance works at the Uralla Neighbourhood Centre and other local facilities, a riparian clean-up of Uralla Creek in partnership with Council, tree care activities supporting plantings by ZNET Uralla and the Rotary Club, and grounds maintenance support for the Uralla Showground.
Uralla Shire Council Mayor Robert Bell said the visit represents a valuable opportunity for collaboration and community strengthening.
“We are delighted to welcome The Big Lift to Uralla. Their energy and commitment to community service will make a meaningful contribution to local projects while also building connections between city and regional communities,” said Mayor Bell.
President of The Big Lift, Amelia Kraszewski, said Uralla offers a unique opportunity for volunteers to engage deeply with the community.
“The Big Lift is more than just a volunteering organisation, it’s an opportunity to be part of a community built on shared purpose.
“Bringing our entire group to Uralla allows us to make a bigger impact while learning from the people and stories that make this region so special,” said Ms Kraszewski.
Madhav Iyer, Communications Director for The Big Lift, said the Winter Trip is the organisation’s hallmark event.
“Every year we undertake our hallmark event, ‘The Winter Trip’, which takes 80 students (split across 2 buses of 40 students each) from UTS to volunteer and assist in 9 regional towns.
“This year marks our 16th Anniversary Trip commencing from UTS to Surfers Paradise from the 4th of July to the 12th of July. As such our journey takes us to Uralla, where we will be volunteering on Tuesday the 7th of July,” Mr Iyer said.
Beyond the volunteer work, students will also have the chance to explore Uralla’s rich history, including a visit to McCrossins Mill Museum.
From there, the group will travel to Deepwater, where they will stay overnight before getting back to work in the morning.
“We’ll be volunteering on the morning of the 8th from around 7am to midday, with multiple teams working on different projects around town, such as repairing the deck of the local School of Arts Hall,” he said.
The Big Lift’s Winter Trip began in Sydney on Saturday, 4 July, and will run over nine days, with stops in multiple regional communities before finishing on the Gold Coast.
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