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Kingscliff and the Tweed Coast, NSW

Excavation and earthmoving in Cudgen

Cudgen, or Goodjing, is a Bundjalung word meaning red, and the red volcanic soil of the Cudgen Plateau is now classified State Significant Farmland. That soil drew the first selectors in the 1860s, and small crops such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes and avocados have largely replaced bananas and dairying. Luke's Kubota, posi-track and tipper cover both the low-scale village yards and the drains, tracks and erosion control that intensive farming needs.

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  • Google 5.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews
  • 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
Black corrugated drainage pipe laid in a freshly dug trench, with an excavator bucket alongside
  • 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

Jobs Luke takes on in Cudgen

Orange Kubota excavator at the end of a deep, clean-walled trench in red soil, with drainage pipe ready beside it

Trenching and drainage

Wide, shallow grassed swale drains and diversion banks that steer runoff around cultivated paddocks, the approach Council's plateau project recommends over steep, bare V-drains. Where a pipe or culvert is needed on the farm, Luke puts that in as well.

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Dirt Werks Kubota U55-4 excavator, ASV RT-60 posi-track and Fuso Fighter tipper parked side by side

Excavator hire

Sediment detention basins dug at strategic low points to catch eroded topsoil before it reaches the creeks. Council's plateau project built four of them with local farmers as a last line of defence.

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Freshly graded gravel driveway curving through bushland, Kubota excavator and ASV posi-track parked beside it

Driveway repairs

Farm roads carry tractors and trucks in all weather, and ruts soon start channelling water. Regrading the crossfall stops that, and a fresh sheet of gravel from the Fuso, spread by the posi-track, is watered and rolled to finish.

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Ground and access in Cudgen

The Tweed Regional Museum says the plateau's soil, a ferrosol or krasnozem, formed from basalt lava flows about 23 million years ago and is high in iron oxide and very fertile. Council's waterways project there says holding topsoil is an ongoing challenge, especially with steep slopes, erodible soils, high-intensity rain and intensive cultivation, and bare fallow periods leave paddocks open to erosion. A ridge line runs from the plateau along Cudgen Road to Cudgen Creek. Kingscliff's planning code notes filled land north of the village and sand extraction to its west.

For farm work, show Luke the route from the road to the job, any culverts or freshly cultivated ground on the way, and where the tipper can turn. In the village, measure the side access and photograph overhead wires and street trees near the driveway. Kingscliff's planning code lists the Cudgen Norfolk pines among the area's significant street trees.

Before you dig in Cudgen

Cudgen is in the Tweed Shire Council 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
Acid sulfate soils on low groundTweed Shire Council says acid sulfate soils are common along the Tweed Coast. Written approval is needed in most cases before they're disturbed, and Council's management plan for minor works can't be used where groundwater is likely to be disturbed or dewatering is likely. Those jobs need a site-specific plan.
Bringing in fillCouncil says filling land needs development consent in most cases. On flood-prone land, get a Section 10.7 certificate and a Property Flood Report for your lot before any fill is ordered, because flood planning levels change as flood studies are updated.
Trees and clearingOn non-rural land, clearing declared vegetation needs Council approval, which is free to lodge. That includes native plants 4 m or taller or 10 cm or more in diameter, any tree 40 cm or more in diameter, preferred koala food trees and threatened species. On rural RU1 and RU2 land, clearing native vegetation may need approval under the Local Land Services Act 2013.
Driveways and the road reserveAny work in the road reserve, including a driveway across the verge or a kerb and gutter change, needs Council consent under section 138 of the Roads Act 1993 before it starts.
Near creeks and the estuaryTo count as exempt development, earthworks must be at least 40 m from natural water and must not redirect water or carry sediment onto a neighbour's land. Work on waterfront land can also need a controlled activity approval from NSW Water.
Fire antsParts of the Tweed are in the NSW fire ant biosecurity zone. Earthmoving machinery must be cleaned free of soil before it leaves, and soil, fill and quarry products moved out of the area follow set rules. Zones change, so check the current NSW DPIRD maps.

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 Cudgen?

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

Call 0488 987 325Send the job details

Questions about earthworks in Cudgen

My place backs onto Cudgen Creek. What should I watch for?

Flash floods. NSW SES says the Tweed Coast is prone to flash flooding, particularly in creeks including Cudgen Creek, which rise and fall quickly because of their steep upper catchments. Keep spoil heaps and machines out of the flow path, and don't leave a trench open across a drainage line when heavy rain is forecast. Send Luke a photo of the bank and the low point of the yard with your other shots.

Does Tweed Shire Council need to approve my earthworks?

It depends on the job. Small earthworks can be exempt development if they meet the NSW standards, such as staying at least 40 m from natural water and not sending water or sediment onto a neighbour. Fill, acid sulfate soils, flood-prone land, trees and work in the road reserve each have their own approvals. Check with Council on 02 6670 2400 before the machine is booked.

Suburbs near Cudgen

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

Sources (checked October 2026)
  1. Wikipedia: Cudgen, New South Wales
  2. Tweed Regional Museum: Cudgen / Goodjing, Cudgen Plateau
  3. Tweed Shire Council: Restoring the waterways of the Cudgen plateau (flyer, PDF)
  4. North Coast Area Health Service and Tweed Heads Historical Society: Historical walks, Kingscliff (PDF, hosted by Tweed Shire Council)
  5. Tweed Shire Council: Kingscliff DCP Section B26, Part 2 (PDF)
  6. NSW SES: Tweed local flood information
  7. Tweed Shire Council: acid sulfate soils
  8. Tweed Shire Council: disposal of fill
  9. Tweed Shire Council: trees on private land
  10. Tweed Shire Council: driveway access to property guide (PDF)

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.

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