MANY years ago, when Dunnstown was missing something, the community came together to provide it.

In the 1950s, when the town lacked any sporting facilities, residents contributed a pool of money in 1958 to create a recreation reserve for the town.

Generous donations from the small population amounted to 1250 pounds allowing the town to create the reserve that is still home to the Dunnstown football and netball clubs today.

The tale of the tiny farming community banding together for the good of the town, enjoying each other's company and making sacrifices for each other is what defines it as a wonderful place to live, according to brothers Ray and Leo Murphy.

Born and bred in Dunnstown, the pair have both never lived anywhere else and see the reserve as the pride and joy of the town.

Their father settled in the town in 1928 after purchasing land.

But the town was established more than 70 years prior to the Murphys moving in.

The town was named after Robert Dunn who established a distillery in the area in the mid-late 1850s.

Ray Murphy said from what he can remember, the town once boasted two hotels, the distillery, the Shamrock Hotel, the church, a public hall, a railway station, the blacksmith business, a shop, a public weighbridge, the post office a butcher shop, a school and a quarry.

"Now what's left is the pub, the church and the school," he said.

Pub owner Micheala Johnston has loved the 18 months she's spent at the Shamrock Hotel.

"It's always been my dream to own a pub - and this just came up at the right place and the right time," Ms Johnston said.

"It's a 150 year old pub where a three-year-old child and an 80-year-old can feel comfortable."

But residents don't blame the town's culture for its lack of growth, but rather the building restrictions that are in place

"The biggest challenge the town faces is growth - there are massive restriction in regards to building so it's had a large impact on youth in the area," Ray Murphy said.

"Young people don't stay in the area or don't move to the area because they can't build."

The basics:

Municipality: Moorabool Shire

Population: 254

First Settled: Mid 1850s

Main industries: Potato farming

Claim to fame: Dunnstown bats well above the average in producing AFL /VFL players. Ray Murphy played for North Melbourne, Con Britt for Collingwood and Gerrard Cahir for St Kilda.

Five fast facts:

1. The Dunnstown Tug of War team won the Victorian championships in 1962 and 1963, which was televised on the World of Sport.

2. The town is also a hub for sheaf tossing, with many locals participating in the traditional scottish sport at Victorian agricultural and highland shows.

3. The town is named after Irishman Robert Dunn, who opened a distillery in the town in the late 1850s.

4. A settling place for Irish potato farmers, the town still has many of the original families with Irish names as residents today, including: Clark, Britts, Leonards, Walsh, O'Loughlin, Murphy and more.

5. The one remaining pub in the town, the Shamrock Hotel, was reported to have been destroyed by fire in 1904. The current building was built the following year.

Five things to do:

1. Go and have a pub meal or a drink at The Shamrock Hotel. A popular local pub that welcomes out-of-towners to their watering hole.

2. Kryal Castle is just around the corner. A popular tourist destination, Kryal Castle was built in the 1980s replicating medieval times and is a fun family day out.

3. Have a walk through the Mt Warrenheip Flora Park. If you make it to the top, you can enjoy a view of Dunnstown and Kryal Castle.

4. Watch a game of cricket, netball or football at the town's Recreation Reserve. The oval is one of the town's pride and joys and hosts many sports throughout the year.

5. Go and have a look at the local church. It's a small church but one of the few existing places in the town, is over 100 years old and still an important part of the community.