The Memorial Drive in Cooma was established in 1955 and restored in 2020. It is located on the Monaro Highway, 2.4 km north of the Polo Flat Road and Monaro Highway intersection roundabout.
It was an initiative of the RSL and is consistent with the Remembrance Driveway that was established along the Hume and Federal Highways when Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh planted two London Plane trees in Sydney on 5 February 1954 and the Queen planted a Snow Gum at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on 16 February. In 2023, the memorial drive exists in two sections, having been impacted by highway realignment over time.
The source of funding for the Cooma Memorial Drive and its original dedications (if any) have not been established, however, the trees have prospered. According to Pip Giovanelli, Heritage Advisor at Snowy Monaro Regional Council, "from a heritage perspective, the group plantings would be considered to have both aesthetic and social significance."
Note: the map location shown on this listing is approximate.