Reflections on High, which featured display boxes and river and tree images, had graced the building face since 2008 after being commissioned to brighten the shopping strip.

However, its fate became grim after plans for Chemist Warehouse to shift into the premises emerged last year.

Subsequently it has been deemed unwanted and Wodonga Council, which owned it, contracted workers to tear it down on Friday.

They ripped apart the structure and trucked away the pieces as scrap.

A council spokeswoman said there was no other site suitable for the mural, due to its scale, and it had reached its use-by date.

Removing the mural on Friday allowed the work to be completed before six months of roadworks begin along the southern section of High Street on Monday. 

The end of the mural will allow Chemist Warehouse to decorate the wall in its distinctive predominantly yellow corporate colours and wording.

Reflections on High was the brainchild of placemaker David Engwicht, who was employed by the council as a CBD development manager from 2007 to 2009.

He told The Border Mail last August of his disappointment at the prospect of the wall becoming a billboard.

“The wall as it was sent a bad message to the town about its identity and I wanted to change it,” Mr Engwicht said.

“If we end up with another blank wall with advertising plastered all over it I would see that as a poor replacement.”

The mural was not universally loved by residents with some labelling it ugly.

Artist David Bell accepted his collaborative piece would have detractors.

"As with all art works there will be some negative comments and some positive,” he said during installation.

"But anything that evokes discussion is probably healthy and because it's going to be an ever-changing display it will be a good thing for the community."