KAW met with Ken Hore, who is a Sydney to Melbourne Drives representative to discuss in further detail a plan to get the great mountain drive off the ground.

The visit included a meet and greet with some of the regions international ready businesses, businesses located along the route that can provide a unique service or experience to an international and domestic market.

Steering committee member Caroline Fox said the group was looking at developing the drive from Canberra to Khancoban and would look to expand that into Victoria.

“What we’re essentially saying is for those driving from Sydney to Melbourne don’t go down the Hume but come over our way,” she said.

“Sample the best of the region along the way.”

The day spent in Cooma was an opportunity to familiarise the group with some of what Cooma has to offer including a trip to the Mount Gladstone Lookout.

“Mount Gladstone has some good potential that really needs to be developed,” Ms Fox said.

“We often tell people it is the first really good view of the Alps before you get to Jindabyne.”

The treeless planes and homesteads also make for good viewing.

Ms Fox showed the visitors a new viewing platform under construction on the southern side of Mount Gladstone looking out over The Brothers and told the group of plans to further develop the area with signage on both lookouts to point to attractions and provide indigenous and European history.