Cooma-Monaro Shire has a population of 9,772 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011 Census) and is situated in the Monaro Region of NSW. The town of Cooma is the commercial and social hub of the Monaro and Snowy Mountains region.
The Shire has a total land area of 5,229 km2 which includes national parks, nature reserves, agricultural land, forests, the communities of Bredbo, Michelago, Nimmitabel, Numeralla and Smiths Rd, and the town of Cooma.
The Shire has seen variations in population due to changes in industry and the activities of major employers such as “The Snowy” and the State Government. These include agriculture, forestry, and an increase in those seeking a rural lifestyle but wishing to retain an urban-based occupation.
Industry in the Shire consists of agriculture, some horticulture (including grapes, olives, vegetables, and lavender) with the addition of tourism and retail services along with light industrial activities at Polo Flat. Cooma has an export abattoir, sale yards, a Correctional Centre (gaol), Universities Centre, Snowy Hydro Limited and Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation.