LAST week's official opening of the McIntosh & Son machinery dealership in Kulin has further energised a town intent on growing.
According to Kulin Shire Council vice president Barry West, it was a significant event.
"There has been a lot of hard work done over the last 20 years to create an environment where people want to live," he said. "And we're delighted to have a new dealership which creates a bigger ripple effect through the community."
The new dealership also underpins the business of agriculture throughout the Kulin shire and reflects the confidence of the McIntosh & Son group in the ag industry.
Apart from Kulin, it has branches in Geraldton, Moora, Wongan Hills, Katanning, Albany and Perth.
According to Katanning, Kulin and Albany branch manager Devon Gilmour, the Kulin region has long supported the company's Katanning branch through products such as Nitro, Challenger and now Morris.
"The decision to move to establish a branch in Kulin was considered for a few years and made sense due to the support and established customer base we had in the region," Mr Gilmour said.
Historically, machinery dealers have been an important hub in country towns as a major employer and community sponsor, apart from the important sales and service side.
It's something not lost on Mr West.
"With extra families and extra kids, it creates a flow-on effect for the whole community," he said.
"Attracting new business also reflects on the work we have been doing to establish good learning facilities, good child care, health facilities, etc, which make the town appealing.
"Plus we've got the longest water slide in inland Australia.
"Basically we're trying to provide the facilities that will attract people to want to live here and that's important for businesses.
"This town has always been driven by people and was the reason why Kulin started the first Community Bank in WA.
"We had volunteers to go to Queensland and dismantle and truck back the water slide and our annual Kulin Bush Races is a community effort."
According to Mr West, there is a strong sense of loyalty in the Kulin community which bodes well for new businesses.
Already, he has ordered a new Nitro self-propelled boomsprayer from McIntosh & Son along with Kulin Community Bank chairman Derek Young.
According to Mr Young, the addition of McIntosh & Son is another growth step for the town.
"It's vital we attract new businesses in order to grow and strengthen our community," he said. "We need more rural businesses and the bank's focus is on increasing the agribusiness side.
"It's a hard slog for a country town but we keep trying.
"We've got the customers we just need the businesses, like machinery dealers and all the general trades, like sparkies, chippies and plumbers."
McIntosh & Son Kulin salesman Duncan Murdoch is one of the new faces to the town and is excited with his future and his two children.
"The kids love being here," he said. "And during my time as a salesman, Kulin always was one of my favourite towns."