Byron Shire, NSW

Excavation and earthmoving in Federal

Timber houses raised on piers, a general store and cafe, a hall and park land make up Federal, a village of about 60 houses that blends into the farms and bush around it. Council's rural strategy says Federal has closer links with Bangalow and Byron Bay. Luke can bring the Kubota, posi-track and Fuso for farm tracks, drains, owner-requested clearing and septic trenches for your plumber.

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

Freshly cut dirt access track through bushland with machine track marks

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 Federal

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

Trenching and drainage

Council's Federal chapter notes the constraints of on-site sewage in the village. Luke digs and backfills trenches for septic lines and irrigation areas while your licensed plumber lays and connects, and on farm jobs he puts in the culvert and ag drain pipe himself.

Kubota excavator arm and bucket clearing dense overgrown scrub and long grass

Land clearing

Council's Federal chapter asks development applications to plan the removal and ongoing management of weeds and camphor laurel. Luke removes camphor, weeds and stumps at the owner's request, using the grab to handle the timber.

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

Driveway repairs

Gravel driveways and farm tracks around Federal need a firm base and somewhere for water to go. Luke re-sheets them, levels the gravel with the posi-track, rolls it and adds table drains.

Ground and access in Federal

Federal sits about 140 m above sea level on land that was part of the Big Scrub, a 75,000 ha lowland subtropical rainforest that grew mainly on fertile basalt and floodplain soils and was almost entirely cleared for farming in the 1800s. On the village's western side, Council's rural strategy notes a watercourse and vegetated areas, and its Federal chapter asks development to address riparian and corridor values.

Federal Drive is the village's main street, and the tipper needs safe standing off it. On farms, the driveway grade, gateways and wet ground set the limits. Send photos of your gate with its width noted, the route to the work spot and any overhead power lines.

Before you dig in Federal

Federal is in the Byron 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
Excavation and fill limits	Where earthworks need development consent, Byron's DCP Chapter B14 limits excavation and fill to 1 m deep unless otherwise stated. Earthworks on land steeper than a 15% gradient, or with more than 1 m of cut and fill, need engineering detail from a structural or geotechnical engineer.
Acid sulfate soils	Council says acid sulfate soils sit in the coastal floodplains, generally below RL 5 m AHD. Under clause 6.1 of Byron LEP 2014, Class 1 land needs consent for any works and Class 2 for works below the ground surface. On Class 3 and 4 land the trigger is works more than 1 m or 2 m below natural ground, or works that lower the water table that far.
Driveways and the road reserve	Council needs a permit before any work on a driveway or elsewhere in the road reserve. Even an exempt driveway needs Section 138 approval under the Roads Act, lodged on the NSW Planning Portal.
Flood-prone land	Council's floodplain pages cover the Brunswick River, Belongil Creek and Tallow Creek, and much of the shire's low ground can flood. Check the flood maps before any fill or drainage work on the flats.
Near creeks and natural water	Exempt earthworks must be at least 40 m from natural water and must not redirect water or send sediment onto a neighbour's land.

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 Federal?

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 Federal

Can Luke work around my septic system in Federal?

Yes, if he knows where it is. Mark the tank, the pipes and the irrigation or absorption area before work starts, and include them in your photos, so the machines and the tipper stay clear. Heavy wheel and track loads over a septic tank, its pipes or its field can damage them.

Who do I ask about earthworks approvals in Byron Shire?

Byron Shire Council's Development Support Officers answer approval questions on 02 6626 7025. Get any approval the job needs, or confirm the work is exempt, before the machine is booked. The council approval guide sets out the Tweed, Byron and Ballina rules side by side.