Yet, despite the expansive distance and the passage of time, 9/11 continues to reverberate here.

Few residents will be as affected as Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison.

One of her closest friends was working on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Centre's north tower for PM Contracting and Unique Infrastructure when the first plane was weaponised.

"Andrew Knox was a great mate," Mrs Addison said. "In 1999, we were both working for the Australian Workers Union, Knoxy in Adelaide and me in Wollongong. Knoxy loved travel and had decided to work overseas before looking to a career in federal politics."

As a character, Mrs Addison held Mr Knox in the highest regard.

"Andrew had a huge future," she said. "He was smart, generous, fun, and always great company."

Mr Knox had travelled to London to work and then moved to New York to volunteer for Hilary Clinton.

While in New York, Mr Knox gained the job at the Twin Towers-based company.

Throughout, Mrs Addison kept in touch with her ally.

"We were in regular contact and I had planned a trip to Europe with another friend of ours, Stephen Dawson," she said. "Knoxy thought if we were in the northern hemisphere, the least he could do was come and meet us. We organised to catch up for a couple of days in Amsterdam in the first week of August 2001.

"We did all the touristy things - visiting Anne Frank's house, the Van Gogh museum, and the canals. It was great."

Mrs Addison is still affected when she reflects on the closing stages of that jaunt.

"As we said our farewells, as Stephen and I headed to catch a train to Berlin and Knoxy back to NYC, I had no idea it would be the last goodbye," she said.

IN OTHER NEWS

Her recollections of subsequent correspondence are also tinged with sadness.

"The last emails Knoxy and I sent each other were during the last week of August and we made plans to meet in Melbourne for his 30th birthday in January 2002. That celebration would never take place," Mrs Addison said.

Mrs Addison's description of Mr Knox's final moments is all too real and all too horrific.

"Andrew had been instructed to the roof, hoping for a helicopter to pick up the workers who could not get to the ground," she said. "However, the building collapsed before the evacuation could happen."

Of the 2996 deaths on that infamous day, ten Australians perished of which Mr Knox was one.

At the time, Mrs Addison was shocked and hit by grief.

Ultimately, she was overwhelmed by the combination of her personal loss and the magnitude of the wider catastrophe.

Importantly though, while the hurt will forever remain, the legacy of Mr Knox lives on in the heart of Mrs Addison, continuing to guide, influence, and inspire.

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