Digging Safely On The Gold Coast – What You Need To Know Before You Start

If you’re planning any digging, trenching, or excavation on the Gold Coast, it’s essential to check what’s underground before you begin. Using the free Dial Before You Dig service helps you avoid hitting gas, electricity, water, or telecommunications lines, preventing costly damage and keeping everyone safe. A quick enquiry could save you from serious injury, major repair bills, or even legal trouble.

Why Checking Underground Services Matters

The Gold Coast has an extensive network of underground utilities. These hidden services supply our homes, businesses, and public spaces with the essentials – power, water, gas, and internet. Damaging them can cause:

• Safety hazards – live electricity cables or gas pipes can cause injury or worse.
• Service disruptions – entire streets can lose water, internet, or power.
• Expensive repairs – you may be liable for the full cost of fixing damaged assets.
• Legal consequences – failure to follow safe digging requirements can result in penalties.

For homeowners planting trees, tradies installing fences, or contractors digging foundations, taking a few minutes to request a utility map is a smart and simple precaution.

How the Dial Before You Dig Service Works

Dial Before You Dig, now officially known as Before You Dig Australia (BYDA), is a free national service that connects you with utility owners in your work area. Here’s how it works:

1. Submit an enquiry – use the BYDA website or mobile app to lodge a request, including your location and planned works.
2. Receive plans – utility owners send you maps showing the location and type of underground assets near your site.
3. Review the details – check the plans carefully, noting depths, offsets, and any specific safety instructions.
4. Work safely – follow recommended digging methods to protect underground services.

Requests can usually be submitted 24/7, but plans are valid for a limited time (often 30 days), so it’s important to time your enquiry close to your project start date.

When You Should Lodge an Enquiry

Many people think you only need to lodge an enquiry for big excavation projects, but that’s not the case. You should check underground service locations before any work that involves disturbing the ground, including:

• Installing fence posts or retaining walls
• Planting large trees or removing stumps
• Digging trenches for irrigation or drainage
• Building decks, pergolas, or sheds with footings
• Boring holes for signage or light poles
• Excavating for driveways or landscaping

Even shallow digging can damage cables or pipes. For example, fibre-optic internet cables are often buried just beneath the surface in nature strips.

Planning Safe Digging on the Gold Coast

Whether you’re a homeowner doing weekend landscaping or a contractor working on a large development, safe digging starts with good preparation.

1. Understand the Site

Before touching a shovel, walk over your work area and look for signs of underground services, such as:

• Inspection pit covers
• Marker posts or painted lines
• Utility boxes or cabinets
• Valves and hydrants

These clues can help you interpret the utility maps you’ll receive from BYDA.

2. Read and Follow the Plans

BYDA plans will often include symbols, colour codes, and instructions specific to each utility. Take the time to:

• Compare the maps with your actual site
• Note any tolerance zones where you must dig carefully by hand
• Understand depth limitations (services aren’t always buried at the same depth everywhere)

3. Use Safe Excavation Techniques

When working near identified utilities:

• Start with non-mechanical digging (e.g., hand digging, vacuum excavation) in the tolerance zone
• Avoid using sharp tools directly above services
• Keep heavy machinery well clear unless you have clear, confirmed depths

Common Misconceptions About Dial Before You Dig

It’s surprising how many people still skip this step because they believe:

• “I know the area – I’ve dug here before.”
  Utilities can be relocated or added over time, so past experience doesn’t guarantee safety.
• “It’s only a small hole – nothing could be there.”
  Some services run just below the surface. Even small garden projects can cause damage.
• “It will take too long.”
  Lodging an enquiry takes minutes, and most responses arrive within a couple of business days.

The small effort of checking first is always worth the peace of mind.

The Role of Local Councils and Utility Providers

On the Gold Coast, the City Council and local utility companies actively support the use of BYDA. They encourage residents, builders, and landscapers to follow safe digging practices to reduce service outages and safety risks.

Some projects may also require council permits in addition to BYDA checks, especially if you’re digging in public areas such as footpaths, verges, or nature strips. Coordinating these requirements early can help you avoid project delays.

Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility

Hitting a power cable or water main doesn’t just affect you – it can disrupt whole neighbourhoods, endanger workers, and damage the environment. Gas leaks can force evacuations, while burst water pipes can flood streets and properties.

By taking a few minutes to lodge a BYDA request and read your plans, you’re protecting yourself, your project, and your community.

Tips for a Smooth Gold Coast Digging Project

• Plan ahead – submit your BYDA request at least two business days before work starts.
• Keep records – save the plans and any instructions for your project file.
• Mark the ground – use paint or flags to show service locations on site.
• Communicate – make sure everyone on the job site understands the plans and safe digging requirements.
• Stay updated – if work is delayed, renew your BYDA request to get up-to-date information.

Why This Matters for DIY Homeowners

It’s not just professional contractors who need to use BYDA. Many Gold Coast homeowners are surprised to learn that damaging underground utilities – even accidentally – can result in personal liability for repair costs. These bills can run into the thousands, and some repairs require specialised crews to restore service.

By taking advantage of the gold coast dial before you dig service, you can protect your budget and keep your weekend project on track.

Final Thoughts

Digging without checking first is a risk that’s never worth taking. The Gold Coast’s underground utility network is complex, and damaging it can cause safety hazards, costly delays, and community disruptions. The Dial Before You Dig (Before You Dig Australia) service is quick, easy, and free – and it’s your best defence against unexpected underground surprises.

Before your next project, make it a habit to lodge a BYDA request. Your safety – and your neighbours’ – depends on it.

Need to dig on the Gold Coast? Submit a free Before You Dig Australia request today to get up-to-date maps of underground services and enjoy peace of mind knowing you’re digging safely.