It was the biggest increase of all Victorian country towns during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
All other towns in the top 10 of searches were in the already popular regions of Victoria’s snowfields and high country.
A story on the Channel Nine television program A Current Affair in early May about the Lockington townsfolk's bid to save the pub by turning it into a co-op proved to be the shot in the arm the town needed.
“No-one could have predicted the response that we got. We had 2500 hits on our Facebook page within two days,” co-op member Chrissy Weller said.
“People were very impressed with what they saw. We had people from Melbourne calling on how they could invest.
“There were even performers offering their services for when we re-opened.
“Buyers are starting to realise that you don’t need to live in the majors towns like Bendigo or Echuca-Moama to access services.
“We’re not too far away from any of those places and the cheaper prices are drawing people into the area.”
Ray White Rochester agent Luke Ryan agreed with Ms Weller.
“I think it's really put the town on the map and got people talking,” he said.
“Places like Lockington and Rochester, although they are smaller, they still have a lot to offer.
“You're close to places like Echuca and Bendigo, but with pubs, cafes, ice cream shops, great schools and everything in between, what's not to love?”
It's a big turnaround for the town of Lockington which In just the past 18 months has had its pool and beloved pub have all threatened with closure.
Century 21 Rich River Real Estate director Andrew Lochhead said out-of-town buyers were beginning to appear more regularly across the region.
“Three-quarters of my personal sales last month were from metropolitan buyers,” Mr Lochhead said.
“We’ve had some situations with Melbourne buyers where they have come up and didn’t leave until they had bought something. Sometimes they are making offers in the car,” he said.
Charles L King Echuca director Troy O’Brien said his business experienced only a month of quiet trade.
“People are re-evaluating how they live now and with working from home becoming more common it’s causing a lot of interest,” Mr O’Brien said.
“If you had to put a percentage on it, interest has increased around 30 per cent in the last little patch since restrictions started lifting - even earlier than that to be honest.”
Mr O’Brien said the demand was coming from homeowner buyers, not investors.
“These people are looking to buy and move in straight away,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ray White Echuca director Lynn Hall was sceptical of the data.
“I would suggest the data recorded a spike because levels were so low before, and there was such a sharp decrease when the shutdowns started,” Ms Hall said.
Ray White Echuca’s enquiry levels from out of towners are back “at the normal 50 to 60 per cent”, according to Ms Hall.
