Kingscliff and the Tweed Coast, NSW

Excavation and earthmoving in Duranbah

Elevated farm country with a long banana history, Duranbah hosted an experimental research station set up in 1937 by the NSW Department of Agriculture and the Banana Growers Federation, and NSW DPI banana trials at Duranbah only finished in April 2020. Tropical Fruit World, a working farm and tourist attraction, was established here in 1972. Luke's three machines, an excavator, a posi-track and a tipper, are sized for farm drainage, tracks and clearing on blocks like these.

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 Duranbah

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

Trenching and drainage

Cut-off drains above cultivated ground, farm drains and culvert crossings for tracks, dug and laid by Luke himself on rural land, so runoff from the slopes goes where you want it.

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

Land clearing

Unwanted trees, stumps and regrowth on farm blocks, cleared at the owner's request, with the grab stacking timber and the Kubota lifting root balls. Check native vegetation rules before the machine arrives.

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

Driveway repairs

Steep farm tracks and long drives lose their gravel to runoff. Cross drains at intervals send water off before it gathers speed, then a new gravel sheet from the Fuso is levelled by the posi-track, watered and rolled.

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

Excavator hire

Trellis rows, gateways and long fence lines on farm blocks, with every post hole drilled by the auger on Luke's Kubota.

Ground and access in Duranbah

The Tweed's first commercial banana growers worked Duranbah's elevated volcanic soil in the 1890s, and NSW groundwater notes describe the Tweed's basalt-derived soils as sitting on plateaus and steeper slopes and usually draining well. Free-draining ground on a slope still sheds water fast in heavy rain, so a cleared area or a new track needs a planned outlet for runoff.

Farm gates, tracks and the slope between the road and the work area set the limits on which machine comes in. Send a photo of the gate with a tape across it, the track to the job, and anywhere the ground is soft or steep, plus where a loaded truck could turn.

Before you dig in Duranbah

Duranbah 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 Duranbah?

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 Duranbah

Are there big water mains to watch for around Duranbah?

There can be. Kingscliff's planning code says a Council trunk main supplies the Duranbah reservoirs, which feed Salt, Seaside City and Casuarina by gravity. Luke puts in his own Before You Dig enquiry for every job and exposes any service near the dig line by hand before the bucket goes in. Tell him about farm water lines and cables you laid yourself, since those belong to you, not a utility.

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.