But in that one year, the memorial at the site of his accident had become a testament to the depth of love, friendship and loyalty he inspired in so many.

It was rare to go past and not see a new bunch of fresh flowers laid in his honour.

So there was understandable outrage on February 1 when it was discovered that the memorial had been removed.

"Someone decided to wipe the whole thing out - everything was taken," close family friend Dianne Camm said.

Council workers had recently trimmed the bushes back around the memorial and so the family approached council to see if they had also removed the items.

But Assistant General Manager Engineering Services Paul Gallagher said council had not.

He confirmed that in November there had been requests from residents to remove the memorial. And plans were being made to address the issue in January, which were subsequently delayed.

He said as roadside memorials like these were not permitted under Nambucca Valley Council policy, Ben's would have eventually needed to be removed.

"But this is obviously a sensitive matter, and we would never have undertaken anything without speaking to the family first," Mr Gallagher said.

Ben's friends have vowed on social media to maintain the memorial on Wallace Street, and new flowers had been laid the very next day.

Mr Gallagher said council had since removed these flowers after talking to the family. He said the new flowers are being kept safe and tended to by staff at the council depot, until the family can collect them.

Dianne said she was appreciative of Mr Gallagher's sensitivity and communication.

She said had the family been approached first by the person/s who removed the original items, they might have been able to come to an understanding.

"I wouldn't have minded so much if they had come and asked his mother. But now I'm just disgusted," she said.

"How would the person or people who did this like it if this was their son?"

While Ben's family are curious to know who removed his memorial, Dianne said that what they'd like more than anything is to have the items returned.

"We don't need to know who took them, they could just return them anonymously to the council depot," she said.

"There was some really personal stuff there. The headstone was made specially for Ben by a mason, and people had left little angels there."

The collection of treasures also included a footy trophy, framed photographs, and a statue of a mouse on a motorbike.

"We just want them back."

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