Robina, Mudgeeraba and the southern hinterland, QLD

Excavation and earthmoving in Robina

Robina was planned from scratch. Robin Loh and Arthur Earle bought about 20 square kilometres of former grazing land west of Broadbeach in 1980, and Loh's Robina Land Corporation led its development. By the 2021 Census, separate houses were 54.6% of its occupied homes and townhouses or similar 31.6%. Those house blocks, and townhouse yards where the access allows, are the scale Luke's Kubota and posi-track work at.

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  • Liability and equipment insurance held
  • ABN 58 346 068 875
  • Free quotes and site looks
  • Luke runs every machine himself
  • Liability and equipment insurance held
ASV RT-60 posi-track and excavator digging along a canal edge beside a concrete edging strip
  • Owner-operatorLuke, over 10 years operating machinery
  • Based in MurwillumbahWorking the Gold Coast to Lennox Head
  • Insurance heldLiability and equipment, certificate on request
  • Google 5.0 out of 5From 2 reviews, October 2026
  • ABN 58 346 068 875Registered business name DIRT WERKS

Ground and access in Robina

Robina sits about 3 m above sea level, and water management shaped the suburb. The council describes the Robina Lakes, built between 1983 and 1991, as the largest dredging and earthmoving project ever undertaken in the city. They were designed as a retention basin for flood water and stormwater runoff from the Mudgeeraba and Worongary Creek catchments, with about 20 km of shoreline and water 3 to 10 m deep. For work near a lake, say how close to the water the job runs.

For a house block, send three photos: the side gate or path with a tape measure across its narrowest point, a wide view of the job, and the exact spot. Mention anything low overhead, such as eaves or a carport roof. For a lakefront yard, include the water's edge.

Before you dig in Robina

Robina is in the City of Gold Coast area. These rules are worth checking before the machine is booked. Luke lodges his own Before You Dig enquiry for every job.

CheckWhat it means
Protected trees and vegetationThe City says you may need its approval before removing or pruning trees on your property. City Plan protects assessable vegetation: anything over 4 m tall, any trunk 40 cm or more around at 1.4 m above the ground, and vegetation shown on the Vegetation Management Overlay Map. Some clearing is exempt, such as near boundary fences or approved buildings (distances depend on lot size) and within 1.5 m of a pool fence. Otherwise, lodge an operational works application for vegetation clearing first.
Filling or excavation that changes ground levelFilling or excavating a site can need development approval if it changes the ground level. City Plan Table 5.8.1 sets the triggers by zone. In the Low and Medium density residential zones, an application is generally needed once the work exceeds 40 cubic metres of fill or excavation, raises or lowers the ground by more than 1.0 m, or is tied to a material change of use or reconfiguring a lot. Rural, rural residential and conservation zones use other volume and boundary triggers, and overlays can catch smaller jobs.
Acid sulfate soils on low coastal landThe Queensland Government says coastal land below 5 m AHD, about 5 m above sea level, is likely to hold acid sulfate soils, which release acid and metals when dug up or drained. On a lot shown on the City Plan Acid sulfate soils overlay map with natural ground at or below 20 m AHD, digging out 100 cubic metres or more, or placing 500 cubic metres or more of fill averaging 0.5 m deep or more, at or below 5 m AHD needs code assessment.
Works in the road reserve: vehicular crossingsA vehicular crossing, the part of a driveway between the property boundary and the road, sits on public land. The City says you need its approval to build one, and property owners are responsible for building and maintaining it. A crossing that meets the City Plan standard needs an application for a standard crossing. One that can't meet it needs a development permit for operational works. The City's online questionnaire shows which applies, and crossings should be assessed before building approval is given.
Flood-prone land and the City's flood mapsThe City's flood maps show whether a property could be affected by flooding, and a Flood level search report gives a lot's Designated Flood Level. That report doesn't show the flood extent or cover local flash flooding. On land in the Flood assessment required area of the City Plan Flood overlay map, earthworks over 5 cubic metres that aren't part of building work or a material change of use need code assessment. Check before filling or reshaping a low yard.
Fire ant biosecurity zonesAs at October 2026, much of the Gold Coast is inside Queensland's fire ant biosecurity zones, which are reviewed monthly. If any part of a property touches a zone, the whole property counts as in it. Under the Biosecurity Regulation 2016, soil, fill, mulch, turf and quarry materials from inside the zones must be handled, stored and moved under set rules. Machinery must be cleaned of soil before it leaves a site in the zones. Check the address on the fireants.org.au map.

How it works

From a photo to a finished job

  1. Call or text Luke a photo

    A wide shot, the gate or access, and the exact spot tells him most of what he needs.

  2. Get a free quote

    From your photos, or from a quick site look if the job needs it. No charge for either.

  3. Book a day

    Luke brings the right machine for the access and the job.

  4. Dig, cart and clean up

    Spoil goes out on his own tipper. The site is left tidy.

Got a job in Robina?

Call Luke, text him a photo of the site, or send the details through the quote form. Quotes are free.

Questions about earthworks in Robina

I'm in a townhouse complex. Can a machine get to my courtyard?

It depends on the complex. Townhouse courtyards vary, and the way in may be through a garage or along a shared path. Get a width at the tightest spot, gates and garage doors included, and send that photo. If the route crosses common property, talk to the body corporate manager before booking. Luke can then tell you which machine fits, if either does.

How do I check which of these rules apply to my lot?

Search the address on the City Plan map at cityplan.goldcoast.qld.gov.au and open Map Layers. Zones shows your lot's zone. Overlays includes Flood, Acid sulfate soils, Environmental significance (vegetation management), Bushfire hazard and Landslide hazard. Check the fire ant zone on the fireants.org.au map too, because zones change monthly. If you're still unsure, the City takes development questions on 07 5582 8708. Send Luke what you find, along with your photos.

Can soil from a Gold Coast job go to a tip in New South Wales?

Not without a permit. Under Queensland's fire ant rules, soil from a site in zone 2 can go directly to a waste facility in zone 2, but moving soil from inside the zones to anywhere outside them needs a biosecurity instrument permit, and the destination state's rules apply as well. Much of the Gold Coast is in zone 2 as at October 2026, so check the address first. Luke carts spoil to lawful tips or approved sites, with dockets.

Suburbs near Robina

Luke works right across the area. Pick a neighbouring suburb, or see all of Gold Coast.

Sources (checked October 2026)
  1. Wikipedia: Robina, Queensland
  2. City of Gold Coast: Robina Lakes
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Robina, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats
  4. City of Gold Coast: Tree & vegetation removal on private land
  5. City of Gold Coast City Plan, version 14 (effective 29 September 2026): SC1.2 Administrative definitions
  6. City of Gold Coast: Change to ground level
  7. City Plan: 5.8 Operational work (Table 5.8.1 Change to ground level, Table 5.8.4 Vegetation clearing)

Get a quote

Your name, phone number, suburb and the type of job are all Luke needs. Everything else is optional, and photos help him quote without a site visit.

    Your details are used only to quote your job. Privacy policy. Prefer to talk? Call 0488 987 325 or text a photo.