THE earth moved for two majestic banyan trees yesterday after 18 agonising months of waiting - and four days of inching forward - to reach their new home in Happy Valley.
The two 120-year-old trees had to make way for The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club's new $741 million extension to the Happy Valley racecourse.
The giant landmarks began their journey on Wednesday, inching along specially designed tracks until they rested in their new site yesterday afternoon.
The club enlisted the help of French banyan tree experts Dragages et Travaux and made a $1 million investment in a bid to save the famous trees.
Pressure from environmentalists gave the trees a fighting chance of survival and 18 months of preparations by the French firm finally saw them move yesterday from Sports Road to the intersection of Wong Nai Chung Road.
The Jockey Club's expansion plans meant the trees would have been in the centre of their new race track.