"The Government has not set up any signage to direct motorists along the road, one of the most common questions we get asked is where is the Indian Ocean Drive so we to point out the front door and tell them that's it, you're on it."

Jurien Bay service station owner Wade Clatworthy describes his frustration at the poor signposting and lack of promotion of Indian Ocean Drive.

Seven months after the official opening of the road and it still doesn't exist in a map book, on google earth or on GPS devices.

At the opening, the State Government predicted the road would open up the Mid West coast as a major new tourism destination.

But many local tourist operators say the Government simply built it and walked away, neglecting its responsibility to promote the road and the region as a tourist attraction.

Mr Clatworthy says operators in the Mid West are missing out.

"The Mid West really needs some help from the State Government and the Tourism Council to boost this area and to promote the road.

"It would be nice if they started focusing more on the northern suburbs of Perth and out towards Geraldton, rather than down south in places like Margaret River."

The owner of the Pinnacles caravan park in Cervantes, Leslie Holmes, says the promotion is being lumped on those who can't afford it.

"It's being left in the hands of very small business operators and small chambers around the area to put out the word and we just don't have the finance.

"To actually capture them and get them to stay in the region we need more of a focus on advertising the road, talking about how close it is.

"We've spent an awful lot of money as a shire but it's small fry in terms of what the State Government could do for us."

So, where is the road?

The two hundred kilometre stretch of road changes name seven times between Wanneroo, north of Perth and Jurien Bay in the Mid West.

Not only that, there isn't a sign telling drivers they're on Indian Ocean Drive until they reach Lancelin, about one hundred kilometres into the journey.

Business operators says that's too confusing for tourists.

"We get a lot of people coming through saying, where was it, and they've come up the Brand because they couldn't find it, and that's a real disappointment, Ms Holmes said."

The Jurien Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry says there's been little or no State Government effort to adequately signpost or promote the road.

The chamber's Clinton Strugnell says the road's potential isn't being realised.

"Why would you spend 15 years talking about building the road and then spend 95 million dollars constructing it to not put in the effort to signpost it or advertise it.

"You would think 15 or so years was enough time to make preparations for signposting and advertising."

Potential

There's a long held view among many Mid West business operators that the Government tends to favour the South West for tourism promotion.

Leslie Holmes says it's time the attention turned to the Mid West.

"It's always down south, down south, we just need a bit more of a focus on us now, let Margaret River be, they've had their turn, we need an overall push for our region."

The Shire of Dandaragan President, Shane Love, says the Government does very little for the Coral Coast.

"You may as well call the WA Tourism Commission the Perth tourism commission, it doesn't do anything for the region, and it's hard for small businesses to advertise their regions after the State Government closed down regional offices last year," he said.

Mr Strugnell agrees.

"The road was always the key piece of infrastructure for this region to grow in terms of tourism and normally when you build a piece of infrastructure you need to market it to promote it and make people aware of it," he said.

"At this stage, it would appear that that effort really hasn't come forward."

The Tourism Minister Kim Hames has defended the government's efforts.

Dr Hames says the Government invests money in the production and promotion of the Western Australian Coral Coast Magazine, which talks about the tourist attractions along the Coral Coast.

He says he's spoken to local residents and business operators about signage on the road and has asked the Minister for Transport to look at the issue.