Mendooran and Gular get Big Lift

The Big Lift is a student-run volunteer organisation at the University of Technology Sydney, and is founded on the philosophy of ‘paying it forward’.

President of the Mendooran community development group, Dianne Mulligan, was very thankful for the students help.

“The Big Lift contacted us before COVID-19, however the trips were cancelled because of lockdowns. But they approached us again earlier this year and asked if they could still come this year, and here they are!”

Initially the Big Lift team’s main project in Mendooran was tackling the riverbank. However due to the weather, the team had to get creative.

“We were going to work on the riverbank so we could have more access to the river, it’s just become so overgrown. But today we’re gardening at the Catholic church, gardening at the tennis club, cleaning up and painting wooden chairs, and painting the side areas of the stage at the Mechanic Institutes Hall,” said Mrs Mulligan.

“Without the help of these guys, these small jobs would not get done until it was out of hand and too difficult to do.”

Town organiser for the Big Lift, Annie Lee, said she was proud to be part of the team, and can see the impact the program has on people beyond the towns visited.

“I’ve seen so many students do great things for their community after being inspired by the volunteering projects they participated in on past trips. In a generation that has every potential to become positively connected with the world, the Big Lift plays an essential role in building that sense of community.”

The Big Lift team will travel on to Narrabri and further up north into Queensland over their nine-day trip.