Tweed Heads and the border, NSW

Excavation and earthmoving in Terranora

Terranora is ridge country, about 115 m above sea level, first settled by Europeans, mostly cedar-getters, in the 1850s. Its name is believed to come from a Bundjalung word meaning small river or small estuary. On its sloping house blocks, Luke's 5.5 t class Kubota and ASV posi-track can dig trenches, take out stumps and clear overgrown ground, with the Fuso tipper carting the spoil out.

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

Orange Kubota excavator behind a round concrete in-ground tank being set into an excavation on a bush block

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 Terranora

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

Excavator hire

On a ridge block, Luke can bring the Kubota with its auger for fence posts, or with buckets for digging and loading, and run it himself, so the person judging the slope is the one in the seat.

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

Trenching and drainage

For power to a shed or a water line running down the slope, the excavator opens the trench to your electrician's or plumber's depth. Once they have laid and connected the line, Luke backfills it and compacts it so the trench holds on the grade.

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

Driveway repairs

A gravel drive on a slope loses its surface when runoff runs straight down it. Luke reshapes it to shed water, brings gravel in on the Fuso, levels it with the posi-track, then waters and rolls it.

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

Land clearing

Where the owner wants trees, stumps or an overgrown slope cleared, the Kubota digs stumps out and the grab handles logs. Steep or slip-prone ground gets an engineer's advice before the machine goes near it.

Ground and access in Terranora

Council's flood plan uses Terranora as an example of a 'high island': a natural ridge that stays above the largest flood that could occur, though floodwater can surround it. The slopes create water problems below. NSW SES says steep urban development toward Terranora makes Banora Point and Tweed Heads South prone to local flash flooding, and lists Terranora Creek among the creeks prone to flooding. Council's Area E release area, in the Banora Point and Terranora residential area, contains extensive environmentally significant vegetation and SEPP 14 wetlands.

On a sloping block, the driveway and side access decide which machine can work. Take one photo from the street looking up or down the drive and one from the work area looking back. Add the gate with a tape across it and the spot where a truck could stand on level, firm ground, and mention any soft, cracked or recently moved ground.

Before you dig in Terranora

Terranora 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 Terranora?

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 Terranora

My block is steep. What should be sorted before Luke digs?

Find out whether the ground has moved before. Council's March 2026 meeting agenda included an update on the cleanup of a landslip near Illawong Crescent, so slopes here can fail. If the work is near a steep bank, cracks, slumped ground or an old retaining wall, get a geotechnical engineer's advice first. Then send Luke photos of the slope, the access and where the tipper could stand.

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.