ANGRY Swanfels residents have lashed out at Southern Downs Regional Council after it pulled down the town's historic Pioneer Park shelters without any consultation with locals.

A group of 12 met at the now shelter-less park yesterday, reeling over the fact they had only been presented with one notice in the newspaper, 24 hours before the dozers rolled in.

"They didn't talk to any of us," resident Ruby Johnson said.

"We'd asked for approval to have an event held in the shed in February.

"They said it was fine, but then I drove past about 8am Friday morning and saw them tear it down."

The council said it demolished the popular shelters due to termite damage, foundation sinkage and ground concrete cracking in the flooring of the tennis shelter.

However, original member of the Swanfels Pioneer Park committee Milton Rippingale insisted if the community had been consulted about the intended actions, they would have pulled together to ensure the cherished buildings stayed put.

"It was very, very rude of the council to move in like that," Mr Rippingale said.

"If there was more timber needed, well there's more than enough sawmills around.

"We could have repaired it, or at least tried."

The council confirmed no one in the community was spoken to about the plans, with the buildings "deemed unsafe".

The old Swanfels School shelter, built in March 1904, and a tennis shed erected in the early 1900s were used for weddings, events and parties.

The passionate group yesterday remembered all the get togethers, card games and dances spontaneously organised by the community.

"We had Christmas parties," Mr Rippingale said.

"I remember riding in on a horse dressed as Santa."

Ron Johnson said the old tennis court was a popular spot for a dance decades ago, and farmer Pat McConville and his wife Melinda had only celebrated their twin daughters' birthday in the shelter a few weeks earlier. "It looked no worse than it did 10 years ago," Mr McConville said.

However the the old school and tennis shelters were flattened and trucked away in one day's work.

Southern Downs manager of community services and major projects Michael Bell said an independent structural engineering report was commissioned by the council, which confirmed that the buildings did not comply with the National Construction Code.

Director of engineering services Peter See described the structure as "beyond repair" and "unsafe", noting the shelters had not been sprayed for termites.

"Unfortunately, under previous terms of council, funding for maintenance and repairs was not supported," he said.

According to councillor Sheryl Windle, there are plans to install a new shelter at Pioneer Park, "with funds to be included in a future budget".

However, Mr Rippingale and resident Chris Roberts said they would be demanding answers from the council in days to come.

"It was a case of history being destroyed right in front of our eyes," Mr Roberts said.

"It's gone, it's irreversible.

"Why weren't they heritage listed?

"To have something so uniquely Australian and rustic is priceless, and it should get more priceless as time goes on."