Netcon arborist Andrew Smyth holds aloft the roadcone he knocked off the top of a 50m high spruce tree in Fairlie.

To the winner, the spoils.

Netcon arborist Andrew Smyth plans to keep the unmarked roadcone he dislodged from the top of Fairlie's 50m high Spruce tree in the village green about 8.30am on Thursday.

Smyth, who scaled the tree with fellow contractor Cam Edwards as a groundsman below, brought to an end the roadcone's dream of a permanently lofty existence in the small South Canterbury town, a saga of much bemusement since it was spotted on Tuesday morning.

CHRIS HYDE/FAIRFAX NZ Fairlie residents were stumped after the town's tallest tree, a 50m-high Spruce, was adorned with a rubbery crown.

The talented climber had to use a three-metre long pole to dislodge the rubber crown from its throne and said he would not have been able to reach the top without it because the trunk was becoming too thin and bendy.

"As soon as I got three metres from the top, I knew I didn't want to go any further than that," Smyth said.

"I was probably a bit too far up already to be honest, it was a bit hairy."

Smyth said he would probably keep the cone as a memento in his office desk - until its owners wanted it back.

Theories about how the cone appeared mysteriously atop the town's tallest tree have spread like wildfire since Tuesday.

Aliens, drones and a covert drop from a helicopter have all been considered though authorities are in agreement it was likely just a dangerous climb.

Its down and watching this guy with ropes doing it scarey enough!!full credit to the wee climber who got it up there!!Anne Thomson Posted by Erin Geary on Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Getting the cone down became a priority for the Mackenzie District Council because of potential safety concerns if it was blown off by a gust.

The tree is right beside Main St, Fairlie's public toilets and the village green children's playground.

Smyth achieved what the Fairlie Volunteer Fire Brigade almost managed on Tuesday evening as they parked a fire truck on Main St and, to much amusement, tried to knock it off its perch using a high-pressure hose.

Council community facilities manager Garth Nixon said the voluntary efforts of the fire brigade and the prompt response from Netcon was appreciated.

A removal like this would likely cost ratepayers about $300 and repeats of the cone gag were not wanted, he said.

Smyth, who was participating in his first tree roadcone removal operation, said it was a good feeling to be given a job that did not involve cutting down branches.

The only way the cone could have reached the top of the tree was with a multi-person operation, potentially passing it up to each other, Smyth said.