Rohan Pertzel of CRE brokers said generally pubs in the region sat on the market for several months before being sold for between $200,000 and $300,000.

"If someone is going to take on a pub, they must want to be actively involved in the community through things like sports clubs and volunteer organisations," he said.

"We put those features of communities into the packages we make for potential buyers.

"The bulk of people buying country hotels at the moment are new entrants - people who are looking to take on a challenge. People are actively looking but it's a big move if they're coming out of town and have families."

Related: What makes a great country pub? A new competition has Wimmera publicans talking

Mr Pertzel said the incoming tenant of Horsham's Victoria Hotel was originally from Melton and attended a function there this month to raise money for five-year-old Braxton Williams.

"He rang me afterwards and said how much he got out of it," he said.

"Small communities are relying on the pub to be the centre for social gatherings, so if you're in there you can really help out the local community."

CRE brokers is overseeing the sale of Murtoa's Marma Gully and Warracknabeal's Royal Mail and Creekside hotels.

Hotel and hospitality agent Blair Hutchison is overseeing the sale of Rupanyup's Commercial Hotel. He said buyers' ability to get support from banks was also playing a part in the time it took to sell pubs.

Related: Rupanyup's only hotel will shut its doors tonight

"They have really tightened up lending recently, they don't look on pubs as good security," he said.

"I would also say councils haven't moved with the times with the way they rate commercial properties in small towns. They're putting rates up by five to six per cent each year at the same time population is declining, so people are having to pay outgoings that are not reflected in their businesses' turnovers."

The town of Jeparit has been without a pub for several years.

The Hopetoun House Hotel on Roy Street was sold for $235,000 in June last year, however the new owner died before it reopened.

Jeparit-Rainbow Football Netball Club president Jason Hutson said players regularly went there after matches in the 80s, when the town was larger and before the club merged with Rainbow.

"Now we organise teas at the club's function room, where it's more kid-friendly and they can run outside. If you organise them at a pub you're restricted in that sense. People always talk about wishing the pub was open, but we're sort of used to it now," he said.

"The supermarket now stocks more alcohol and people just drink at home. There's not a huge population either so you're not guaranteed to get a crowd if you have a pub there."

While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox twice weekly from the Wimmera Mail-Times. To make sure you're up-to-date with all the news from across the Wimmera, sign up below.