The extent and rapidity of global climate change is the major novel threatening process to biodiversity in the 21st century. Globally, numerous studies suggest movement of biota to higher latitudes and altitudes with increasing empirical evidence emerging. As biota responds to the direct and consequent effects of climate change the potential to profoundly affect natural systems (including the reserve system) of south-eastern Australia is becoming evident. Climate change is projected to accelerate major environmental drivers such as drought, fire and flood regimes. Is the reserve system sufficient for biodiversity conservation under a changing climate? Australia is topographically flat, biologically mega-diverse with high species endemism, and has the driest and most variable climate of any inhabited continent. Whilst the north-south orientation and altitude gradient of eastern Australia's forests and woodlands provides some resilience to projected climatic change, this has been eroded since Europ...