Tweed Heads and the border, NSW
Excavation and earthmoving in Tweed Heads South
Tweed Heads South sits on low ground beside the Tweed River, with homes in the northern part, a commercial area to the south and a levee for protection. Getting water away from houses and businesses is often the first question here. Luke's 5.5 t class Kubota digs drainage and service trenches, the ASV posi-track tidies yards, and the Fuso tipper carts the spoil away.
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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 Tweed Heads South
Trenching and drainage
A yard that holds water after storms needs a drain with somewhere to go. Once your plumber has set the outlet and fall, Luke digs the trench with a laser level, then backfills and compacts it after the plumber lays and connects the pipe.
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Soil removal and tipper
After a flood, Luke can load mud, silt and ruined garden material straight onto the Fuso and take it to a lawful tip or approved site. The same truck handles trench spoil and yard clean-ups, each load docketed.
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Excavator hire
Shops and workshops in the commercial area to the south can book the excavator and its operator together for trenching, loading or auger work, with the tipper on hand for the spoil.
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Land clearing
Old stumps and unwanted trees are dug out at the owner's request, and on low ground the hole is backfilled and compacted so it doesn't hold water.
See moreGround and access in Tweed Heads South
NSW SES says the low-lying parts of Tweed Heads South are definitely at risk from floods, whether from local catchment runoff or water backing up from Terranora Broadwater and the Tweed River. In a 1-in-100-year flood it expects up to 1 m of water in the northern residential areas. Council's flood plan says the levee gives some protection, but protected areas flood quickly if it overtops, and SES lists sections along Dry Dock Road and Minjungbal Drive among those that may overtop. Houses and businesses here were inundated in the 2022 flood. NSW groundwater notes describe the Tweed floodplain soils as estuarine sediments and alluvium.
After heavy rain or a big tide, check how firm the yard is before booking, because a loaded tipper needs level, firm ground to tip. Send photos of the gate with a tape across it, the driveway and anything overhead. For a business in the commercial area, show where a truck can get in, turn and tip.
Before you dig in Tweed Heads South
Tweed Heads South 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 Tweed Heads South?
Call Luke, text him a photo of the site, or send the details through the quote form. Quotes are free.
Questions about earthworks in Tweed Heads South
Why won't the stormwater drain away from my yard?
On low ground the outlet may be the problem, not the pipe. NSW SES says high river levels, storm surge and tides can stop stormwater draining in Tweed Heads South and Banora Point. Before a new drain goes in, ask your plumber where it will discharge and whether that point floods. Luke then digs and backfills the trench around the plumber, who lays and connects the pipe.
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.
Suburbs near Tweed Heads South
Luke works right across the area. Pick a neighbouring suburb, or see all of Tweed Heads.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- Wikipedia: Tweed Heads South, New South Wales
- NSW SES: Community FloodSafe guide, Tweed Heads South and Banora Point (October 2021, PDF)
- Tweed Shire Council: Tweed DCP Section A3, Development of Flood Liable Land, version 1.7 (PDF)
- Tweed Shire Council: Full impact of Tweed's biggest flood still to be revealed (1 March 2022)
- NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation: Tweed-Brunswick groundwater vulnerability map explanatory notes (PDF)
- Tweed Shire Council: acid sulfate soils
- Tweed Shire Council: disposal of fill
- Tweed Shire Council: trees on private land
- Tweed Shire Council: driveway access to property guide (PDF)
Related
Tweed Heads
Excavator, posi-track and tipper work in Tweed Heads, Banora Point and Terranora: trenching, driveways, soil removal.
See moreTrenching 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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Soil removal and tipper
Soil, spoil and rubbish removal to lawful tips, tipper hire with driver, and gravel, road base and soil delivered. Tweed to Ballina.
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