Port Stephens Council said it was a necessary first step but the move has angered the Boomerang Park Action Group.

“One of those trees was a koala feed tree planted 40 years ago by volunteers, now it’s gone,” Boomerang Park Action Group chairwoman Jillian Lye said.

“What we’re seeing is the continual erosion of trees from the park.”

The action group has counted the removing of 15 trees in the stage two development of the park which included the three cut down last week.

Ms Lye, who will stand for election to Port Stephens Council in September, took issue with the process as much as the loss of trees.

“I don’t want to yell and scream but I’m not going to sit back,” she said.

Ms Lye also took issue with council’s decision to move the croquet court from high on the hill behind the Senior Citizens hall to a site between the Men’s Shed and the hall after she conducted a freedom of information request.

“The [local government] act says they have to follow the park’s master plan,” she said.

“I want people to realise the proper process hasn’t been followed.”

In a statement, the council said the master plan was a conceptual document and that a review of those plans had found a better site for the croquet court.

Further, the council said it had carried out a review of environmental factors within the council's Natural Resources unit which approved the changes.

The review also gave approval to cut down the trees for the skate park.

"In order to construct the skate park and to allow access for machinery, three additional trees were required to be removed,” The council’s community and recreation coordinator Brock Lamont said. 

“An addendum to the Review of Environmental Factors was completed and submitted for approval prior to any works commencing. The approval was granted and the conditions require council to replace the trees removed with six native gums within Boomerang Park."

Mr Lamont said the new location for the croquet court made more sense.

“To construct the court in the area shown on the Landscape Masterplan would require significant cut and fill into the slope of the hill,” he said.

“The use of retaining walls and an elevated site is not considered the best outcome from an aesthetic point of view. Locating the court at a grade closer to the existing level of car parking allows for better accessibility for all, as there will be smooth, gentle footpath grades from the nearby car parking to the court.”