Northern Gold Coast, QLD
Excavation and earthmoving in Maudsland
Maudsland is part estate, part acreage. Its northern and north-eastern parts are suburban housing estates, the rest is lower-density rural-residential land, and the hilly centre is largely undeveloped, with peaks rising to 170 m. That range suits Luke's whole kit: the posi-track for estate backyards, the 5.5 t class Kubota for stumps and trenches on bigger lots, and the Fuso tipper for cartage.
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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

- 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 Maudsland

Land clearing
On Maudsland acreage, regrowth and old stumps around houses, sheds and fence lines can be cleared at the owner's request. The grab sorts logs from brush so the timber and the green waste can be loaded separately.
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Trenching and drainage
Where a Maudsland house sits well back from the road, new water or power lines can need a long trench. Luke digs it to the depth your trade asks for and backfills, while the licensed plumber or electrician lays and connects.
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Soil removal and tipper
Soil and rubble from an estate garden makeover, or spoil from a long acreage trench, goes on the Fuso to a lawful tip or approved site, with dockets. Show Luke where a loaded truck can turn around.
See moreGround and access in Maudsland
In the Queensland Government's catchment story, the Coomera River's channel flattens out through the Maudsland sub-catchment, over fractured metamorphic rock with some alluvium. The story notes levees built to protect a local ski park and warns that the lower Coomera is vulnerable to large flows. Wongawallan Creek meets the river in Maudsland, and Guanaba Creek joins close by. The Coomera River Weir, also in this sub-catchment, marks where the river turns estuarine.
On an estate lot, the side gate decides which machine fits. On acreage, Luke needs to see the front gate, the length and grade of the drive, any creek crossing and ground that goes soft after rain. Tamborine-Oxenford Road, a key link for Maudsland, was cut by the Coomera in the 2017 floods, the local member told Parliament.
Before you dig in Maudsland
Maudsland 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.
| Check | What it means |
|---|---|
| Protected trees and vegetation | The 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 level | Filling 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 land | The 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 crossings | A 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 maps | The 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 zones | As 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
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 Maudsland?
Call Luke, text him a photo of the site, or send the details through the quote form. Quotes are free.
Questions about earthworks in Maudsland
Is my block too steep for your machines?
It depends on the slope and the ground. Parts of Maudsland are hilly, with peaks in the centre of the locality rising to 170 m. Send Luke a wide photo from the bottom of the slope and one from the top, plus the way in for a truck. He'll say whether the Kubota or posi-track can handle it safely, or if the job calls for another approach.
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 Maudsland
Luke works right across the area. Pick a neighbouring suburb, or see all of Gold Coast.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- Wikipedia: Maudsland, Queensland
- Queensland Government (WetlandInfo): Northern Gold Coast catchment story
- Wikipedia: Wongawallan, Queensland (Wongawallan Creek confluence)
- Queensland Parliament: Mark Boothman MP, Record of Proceedings, 18 October 2018 (PDF)
- City of Gold Coast: Tree & vegetation removal on private land
- City of Gold Coast City Plan, version 14 (effective 29 September 2026): SC1.2 Administrative definitions
- City of Gold Coast: Change to ground level
- City Plan: 5.8 Operational work (Table 5.8.1 Change to ground level, Table 5.8.4 Vegetation clearing)
Related

Gold Coast
Excavator, posi-track and tipper work on the Gold Coast: trenching, clearing, stump and soil removal. Luke drives up from Murwillumbah.
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Land clearing
Land clearing, stump removal, farm dams, creek crossings and access tracks across the Tweed and Northern Rivers.
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Trenching and drainage
Trenching for plumbing, power and drainage, Gold Coast to Lennox Head. Before You Dig checked, dug to grade, backfilled.
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