Our History

The Big Lift has been running since 2010, and is still going strong.

The Big Lift aims to connect with new towns every year and has visited over 100 in the past 16 years. We aim to reach and help out new towns, as well as continue developing our relationship with towns we have previously connected with.

We connect UTS students with regional communities, creating opportunities for students to broaden their worldview, in the hopes of instilling a sense of civic duty within.

This allows our participants to foster understanding between city and regional lifestyles. We have had the privilege to connect with these towns since we began.

The Big Lift Over the Years

  • It all started with an idea: one bus, eight days, 4 towns and 30 students travelling through regional New South Wales and Queensland.

    Our students volunteered in Wongarbon, Gilandra, Moree and St. George, paying it forward every stop of the way.

    Our first Winter Trip was an incredible success, becoming the foundation for a legacy that would remain over a decade later.

    Watch our 2010 trip video here.

  • This year saw us return with a bang! One bus carried 42 students across regional New South Wales and Queensland over eight days.

    Our journey began in Muswellbrook, followed by Narrabri, Warialda and Stanthorpe. We had an incredible time giving back to rural communities and we can’t wait to do it again next year.

    Watch our 2011 trip video here.

  • Feeling more ambitious in 2012, we expanded to two buses and took on 60 students for 8 days, stopping in towns across New South Wales and Queensland.

    White Bus took participants to Gulgong, Quirindi, Barraba and Wungindi, while Blue Bus went to Muswellbrook, Wallabadah, Bingara and Goondiwindi.

    We can’t believe how much The Big Lift has grown in just two years, and we’re so excited to see what the future has in store for us.

  • In 2013, we really started making waves across regional Australia. Once again, two buses took 60 students volunteers across New South Wales and Queensland.

    Blue bus went to Abrerdeen, Narrabri, Inglewood and Millmerran, while White Bus stopped in Denman, Wee Waa, Glen Innes and Tenterfield. It was an incredible eight days of paying it forward to regional communities and really cementing The Big Lift’s impact.

    Watch the 2013 trip video here.

  • In 2014, we sent 72 students on two buses travelling up through rural NSW and Queensland.

    Stopping off at a 4 towns each along the way, both buses began their journey in Sydney adn reunited at Emu Logic Farm, Moree Baths adn finally the Gold Coast before continuing home via Valla Beach.

  • In 2015, we sent two busloads of students through NSW and Queensland, stopping off at four towns each along the way. Both buses began their journey in Sydney uniting at Emu Logic Farm, Moree Baths, the Gold Coast and Valla Beach along the way.

    For the first time in our history, we ran our first joint town in Narrabri, where both buses united and worked on multiple service projects.

  • 2016 was a HUGE year for The Big Lift. The Big Lift did an inaugural 2016 Summer Trip, where we stopped at Dalgety, Jindabyne, Gunning and Kiama.

    Furthermore, for the first time in our seven years of running, we decided to travel through regional NSW and Victoria, all the way to Melbourne which was our celebration city.

    The summer trip, which took place earlier in the year was a catalyst for continuing our journey in this direction. This year, we took 80 students on two busloads across the country over nine days and nine towns.

  • This year, we sent two busloads of students through NSW and Queensland, stopping off at 4 towns each along the way.

    2017 was the first year of our Little Lifts. A mini version of our Winter Trip where we take students to one town during the weekend to volunteer.

  • In 2018, we travelled to regional NSW and Victoria with 80 students to #payitforward. Both buses spent a night together at our joint town Finley before re-uniting in Melbourne.

  • In 2019, we sent 2 busloads of 80 students through NSW and Queensland, stopping off at 4 towns along the way.

    Both buses began thier journey at USTS and continued before reuniting in Moree. We travelled further before joining again in Surfer’s Paradise. The trip ended with a reflecting and bonding session at South West Rocks.

    Watch our 2019 trip video here.

  • After 3 years of our trips being hindered by COVID-19, we were finally able to reignite our Winter Trip.

    This year we started in Sydney working our way up to Surfers Paradise. Along the way we joined together in Narrabri and Dorrigo.

    We had two trip videos this year. One for each bus. See below for links to them.

  • After the massive success that was 2022, we were so excited to embark on the Trip once again. This year, we went down south to Melbourne. Check out some of our videos from our wonderful Communications Interns below:

  • In 2024, The Big Lift headed back to Surfers Paradise, stopping at 9 regional NSW and QLD towns along the way. Watch how our lovely Communications Interns captured the trip below:

  • In 2025, TBL saw many new faces and 9 new towns on our Winter Trip. We headed down to Melbourne and celebrated our 100th unique town visited along the way! Check out the incredible work of our Communications Interns below: