 Several exotic softwood species were trialled but "Pinus insignis" (later known as "Pinus radiata") was found to grow well in Victorian conditions and was sufficiently promising for commercial planting to begin from 1880.Planting was limited in the early years and focused on land rehabilitation but accelerated from 1910, but unfortunately, large areas of the early plantings established in coastal areas between 1910 and 1930 failed due to the unsuitability of the sites.Activity picked up once again in the 1930s with government funded unemployment schemes during the Great Depression.