Upgraded lookouts and five public art installations along the Murray River Road between Bellbridge and Khancoban have been created through the project, launched on Wednesday.

Great River Road Reference Group chair Ed Barry said the trail, and the wider Upper Murray 2030 Vision plan, had been seven years in the making.

"The Upper Murray is a unique and beautiful place in Australia with enormous tourism and agricultural potential, however this appears to be a hidden secret as the Upper Murray is far from realising its potential," he said.

"The Great River Road is a very important step towards achieving the potential the Upper Murray offers.

"The artwork is brilliant, whether it be the flying eagle at Mount Alfred and the Bogong Moth here, the Murray Cod at Tintaldra, the Murray Cray at Bringenbrong - where local Graham Middleton started his epic swim of the length of the Murray River in 1990 as the first person to do it - or the trout at Khancoban.

"The Murray Grey cattle has its origins in the Upper Murray and its story is told along the way.

"[Families can] wonder whether there was movement of the Murray Cod from a gust of wind, and have fun with the Murray Cray's claws or the trout's tail swing."

More than 30 people were involved in focus groups helping to guide ideas for the Great River Road.

Agency of Sculpture was commissioned to create the five interactive installations and sculptor Benjamin Gilbert said it was the biggest public artwork commission for the Upper Murray region.

"We did quite a lot for what the budget was, because I didn't want to see it done wrong, having fished this area as a kid," he said.

"I hope they [the works] are enduring and help other people feel how you feel about the place."

The Jim Newman Lookout at Tintaldra, the site of the Bogong Moth installation and expansive Snowy Mountain views, was chosen for the launch.

Instead of cutting a ribbon, Towong Mayor David Wortmann and Indi MP Helen Haines broke bread.

Mr Barry said this was to signify one of the vision's other goals - promoting agriculture.

"We and many other community members are passionate about the plan," he said.

"In many ways the Upper Murray 2030 Vision implementation has just begun, and we are seeking further support from our state and federal governments to pursue the opportunities that have been documented in the plan."

Tintaldra's Betty Walton, who runs the general store that has operated as such for 150 years - potentially a record for Australia, she thinks - recited a poem about the region.

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Dr Haines congratulated Mr Gilbert, the council and other partners.

"In igniting the imagination of not only our communities, by those who visit, we bring in important tourist dollars and it's about the diversification of the income," she said.

The Upper Murray 2030 Vision Plan was led by Upper Murray Business Incorporated in partnership with Upper Murray Health and Community Services, Towong Shire Council and Snowy Valleys Council.

The Great River Road project received $828,000 in external funding, including nearly $500,000 from the federal government.