Lennox Head and Ballina, NSW

Excavation and earthmoving in Knockrow

Knockrow, about 14 km from Ballina, is a small rural locality that Hinterland Way and the Pacific Highway both pass through. Ballina's local environmental plan zones land here for primary production, rural landscape and environmental conservation. On farm lots and rural home sites, Luke's Kubota suits drains and culverts, the posi-track spreads gravel on tracks, and the Fuso brings road base in.

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

Newly dug farm dam holding water beside a freshly formed dirt track, with forested hills behind

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 Knockrow

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

Trenching and drainage

On rural blocks that fall toward Emigrant Creek or the Newrybar Drain, Luke digs and lays cut-off drains, culverts and farm ag drains himself. House services are dug and backfilled for your licensed plumber or electrician to lay and connect.

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

Driveway repairs

A gravel driveway off one of the unsealed lanes can be reshaped and topped with gravel or road base from the Fuso, spread with the posi-track, then watered and rolled with Luke's own roller.

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

Land clearing

Regrowth, stumps and fallen timber cleared from rural land at the owner's request. Parts of Knockrow are zoned C2 Environmental Conservation, so check the zoning and any approval first. The grab loads logs onto the tipper.

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

Excavator hire

Wet hire for farm work with Luke operating: the auger for fence lines, a bucket for cleaning out a farm drain or dam, or the compaction wheel for backfill.

Ground and access in Knockrow

Knockrow sits between two watercourses: Emigrant Creek runs along its western edge and the Newrybar Drain along its eastern edge, beside Newrybar Swamp Road. NSW topographic contours show hilltops above 110 m in the west and middle, with the land falling east past the 10 m contour toward the drain. A block here might be a hilltop, a hillside or low ground near the drain, and each needs its own plan for runoff and for where the machines can track.

Several local lanes have unsealed stretches, including Newrybar Swamp Road, Martins Lane and Ivy Lane, according to NSW road data. A loaded tipper needs a firm track and room to turn. Send a photo of the gate, the track in to the job and any soft or steep stretch, and mention it if the lane holds water after rain.

Before you dig in Knockrow

Knockrow is in the Ballina 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	Ballina Shire Council asks anyone planning excavation, or works that could lower the water table, on or next to the floodplain (below 10 m AHD) to check its acid sulfate soil risk maps first. Clause 7.1 of Ballina LEP 2012 needs consent for set works on land mapped Class 1 to 5, depending on the class and depth.
Bringing in fill	Council says bringing in fill needs development consent in most cases, including before Council's own surplus fill is delivered. On flood-liable land, applications for earthworks or filling need a survey plan with levels to AHD.
Removing trees	A Private Tree Permit, lodged through the NSW Planning Portal, must be issued before work starts. On RU1 and RU2 rural land, clearing may need approval under the Local Land Services Act 2013 instead.
Driveway crossings	Building, repairing or changing a driveway crossing needs section 138 consent from the roads authority, usually Council. It is separate from any DA or CDC.
Sediment and runoff	Council warns that letting soil or sediment pollute waterways is an offence. Erosion and sediment controls should be checked daily and before and after rain.

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 Knockrow?

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 Knockrow

Can you put a culvert under the farm track to my house in Knockrow?

Yes. On rural NSW jobs Luke lays culvert and drainage pipe himself, then backfills and compacts over it with his own roller. Send photos of the crossing, the track either side and where the water comes from, ideally one taken after rain. If the crossing is on Emigrant Creek, the Newrybar Drain or another mapped watercourse, check whether it needs approval before the job is booked.

Do I need consent to dig on low ground in Ballina Shire?

Possibly. Ballina's LEP needs consent for some works on land mapped for acid sulfate soils, depending on the class and the depth of the dig, and Council asks you to check its risk maps before excavating on or near the floodplain. Check the maps first, and tell Luke the class when you send your photos.