Murwillumbah and the Tweed Valley, NSW

Excavation and earthmoving in South Murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah mixes homes, commercial businesses and industrial estates, including a new estate with lots on Quarry Road. A levee protects its homes and businesses in most floods. Builders, businesses and householders here can book Luke's 5.5 t Kubota for service and drainage trenches and the ASV posi-track for levelling and spreading. Material comes and goes on the Fuso tipper.

Call Luke 0488 987 325 Text Luke a photo

Or send the job details online

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

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

Jobs Luke takes on in South Murwillumbah

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

Trenching and drainage

Behind the levee, stormwater backs up into the South Murwillumbah Basin when the river is high. Luke digs and backfills stormwater and service trenches, and your licensed plumber or electrician lays and connects the pipe or cable.

Large tree stump and root ball dug out by a Kubota excavator on a rural property

Soil removal and tipper

The 2022 flood brought water into many South Murwillumbah homes and businesses. Silt, spoil and yard soil from clean-ups and trenching go out on the Fuso, about 7.5 t a load, with a docket from the lawful tip or approved site.

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

Excavator hire

On the industrial estates, builders can have Luke run the Kubota and posi-track for trenching, loading and levelling. Liability and equipment insurance is held, with a certificate of currency on request.

Ground and access in South Murwillumbah

NSW SES says South Murwillumbah floods when the Oxley River joins the Tweed at Byangum. Major floods came in 1954, before the levee, and in 1974, 1989, 2001, 2008, 2017 and 2022, the flood of record. The levee overtops at 4.80 m on the Murwillumbah gauge. Well before that, stormwater ponds in the South Murwillumbah Basin between 3.0 and 3.2 m, and at 4.30 m runoff floods low ground behind the levee around Hayes Lane. Council's flood chapter adds hazard maps for the suburb, with the worst classes, H5 and H6, marked as high flood hazard.

On an industrial lot, tell Luke where the Fuso can stand to be loaded and what else moves through the yard. On a house block, measure the side gate and check for overhead lines above the driveway. With photos of the gate, the access route and the exact spot, Luke can price it without guesswork.

Before you dig in South Murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah 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.

Check	What it means
Acid sulfate soils on low ground	Tweed 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 fill	Council 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 clearing	On 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 reserve	Any 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 estuary	To 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 ants	Parts 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

Call or text Luke a photo
A wide shot, the gate or access, and the exact spot tells him most of what he needs.
Get a free quote
From your photos, or from a quick site look if the job needs it. No charge for either.
Book a day
Luke brings the right machine for the access and the job.
Dig, cart and clean up
Spoil goes out on his own tipper. The site is left tidy.

Got a job in South Murwillumbah?

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

Call 0488 987 325 Send the job details

Questions about earthworks in South Murwillumbah

Do the fire ant rules affect moving soil or machines out of South Murwillumbah?

They can. Fire ant nests were found on a vacant industrial lot in Quarry Road, South Murwillumbah, in November 2023, and a 5 km biosecurity zone was set around the site. Council's update covered cleaning rules for earthmoving equipment and dump trucks, and Council says the NSW emergency order stays in force until further notice. Check the current NSW fire ant map for your address before soil, mulch or machines leave.

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.