With the discovery of gold and the Victorian Gold Rush occurring in the 1850s, many people came to Pine Grove in hopes of finding their fortune. However with the gold rush subsiding in the 1860s, unemployment within the area rose drastically leading to multiple requests by locals to the state government to allow for farming. With the approval for farming being granted, there was another influx of people into Pine Grove in 1873. This in turn also led to the majority of Aboriginal tribes around the area to disappear. 3 years later the Lockington Post Office was opened on 2 May 1876 as originally being called Pannoobamawm. With the expansion of farming in the area, challenges around water supply would commonly be present, despite the creation of dams which in turn led to wells becoming an important source of water. As the area continued to grow, new schools were established but were moved around depending on the number of children in the specific districts. After the severe drought of the 1890s in Victoria, there were multiple attempts to create irrigation schemes for the state. Whilst construction of the first system would not begin until 1902, the Victorian government had made it one of their top priorities, passing legislation in 1904 to help support the constructions. Despite this effort it wouldn't be until 1911 that Pine Grove would get its first irrigation system.