A protester halted the works on Tuesday morning when she climbed one of the Moreton Bay figs and remained there for most of the day, holding a sign saying "Save these fig trees".

She left the site later that afternoon.

By Wednesday afternoon the remains of the trees were gone and excavation work was being completed.

The trees were removed after being labelled a high risk to public safety. Non-repairable decay fungi Phellinus was found in the wood and both trees were suffering the effects of Fig Psyllid – a sticky insect that blocks leaf breathing pores - at “alarming levels”.

At 2pm today two new fig trees will be planted in the park.

More coverage:

Protester holes up in doomed fig

Date set to chop Moruya's fig trees

Moruya digs the figs

Moruya park trees get the chop