This is a photo of the original one mile long Norfolk Island Pine Avenue as it existed before the construction of the Norfolk Island Airport by the US Airforce in 1942. The majestic Pine Avenue ran from near the airport to near where St Barnabas Church is today. A few of the original Pines are still growing across the road from St Barnabas Church.br/The convict planted Pine Avenue was cut down to make way for the airport, a much needed lifeline for an island without an adequate shipping port. br/The completion of the airport early in the second world war allowed Quantas in 1947 to commence air services to Norfolk Island thus opening up tourism and the establishment of the township of Burnt Pine, just a kilometre or so from the airport terminal.br/br/Given the enormous compulsory 171 hectare land acquisition required to build the airport it is difficult to imagine such a project happening outside the necessities of wartime. The loss of the historic 30m high convict planted Pine Avenue and the Tree of Knowledge as well as many family properties was a supreme sacrifice but one cannot imagine Norfolk Island today without an airport.br/br/a href="http://yourworldofnorfolk.com.au/a-lasting-legacy-wwii-norfolk-island/"; target="_blank"WW2 and Norfolk Island/a