Tweed Heads and the border, NSW

Excavation and earthmoving in Chinderah

Beside the Tweed River, Chinderah mixes an industrial estate, a golf course and caravan parks with its homes. Cane from the Cudgen district once went by tramway to the Chinderah wharf and on by punt to the Condong mill, and NSW groundwater notes from the late 1990s put most of the Tweed's cane farming on the floodplain upstream. Luke's machines handle drains, fencing and gravel here, but every job starts with one question: where will the water go?

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 Chinderah

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

Trenching and drainage

Flat river land leaves little fall for stormwater, so agree the discharge point with your plumber before anything is dug. The pipe itself is laid and connected by your licensed plumber, with Luke digging and backfilling either side of that.

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

Excavator hire

New fences on flood-liable land in Chinderah must either let floodwater through or be of light construction, such as timber paling, that gives way under debris, according to Council's flood plan. Plan the fence first, then the Kubota's auger drills the post holes.

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

Driveway repairs

Floodwater can strip gravel yards and drives on the industrial estate and rural lots, or bury them in silt. Luke scrapes off the mess, tips new gravel from the Fuso, and the surface is levelled, watered and rolled.

Ground and access in Chinderah

NSW SES says flooding is a certainty in Chinderah. It is worst when a river flood peak meets a high tide or storm surge and the water can't escape through the river mouth. The SES guide lists 1954, 1974 and 2017 among the significant floods and calls 2022 the flood of record, and it warns that low-lying areas next to the Kingscliff drain can take up to 1.5 m of water. Council's flood plan describes the locality as mostly flood storage, with small areas of floodway.

Chinderah Road and Chinderah Bay Drive are among the first roads to close as the river rises, so a loaded tipper won't be sent in when flooding is forecast. Send photos of the driveway, the gate with a tape across it, and the work area after rain, so Luke can judge whether the ground will carry the machines.

Before you dig in Chinderah

Chinderah 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 Chinderah?

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 Chinderah

Can I raise my Chinderah yard with fill so it floods less?

Probably not by much. In Chinderah Village, north-west of the Pacific Highway, Council's flood plan allows only minor filling, for drainage only, roughly up to the centre-line level of the adjacent road. In areas covered by Council's cumulative development scenario, fill above road level can be considered if it won't interfere with local drainage or harm neighbouring land. Ask Council before any fill is ordered, then pass its reply on to Luke.

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.