ONCE at risk of deteriorating beyond repair, Murtoa's unique Stick Shed, the so-called "Cathedral of the Wimmera", is being restored.

The $1.2 million Victorian Government-funded project aims to stabilise the vulnerable building, the only one of its kind in Australia.

The Murtoa Stick Shed spans the length of five Olympic swimming pools and was built in 1941 for grain storage during the World War II wheat glut.

Three other similar sheds were built in Victoria, as well as one in Geraldton, in Western Australia, and another in Parkes, in NSW, but Murtoa's is the only one still standing.

Built from timber and corrugated iron, the Stick Shed gets its name from the hundreds of unmilled poles that stand in rows propping up its roof.

It has often been referred to as the Wimmera's cathedral because of its vast interior and long rows of poles.

"As well as remembering the fantastic contribution our troops made during the Second World War, the Stick Shed demonstrates Australian ingenuity during a time of hardship. It is the last example of its kind," Mr Jackson said.