Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (UKTNP) on Anangu land in Australia’s western desert region is undergoing widespread, but spatially patchy plant death following extreme drought and heatwaves. Anangu are worried about what is happening to their Country. Researchers (piranpa) and Anangu have been working together to understand which plants are dying, where mortality is occurring, and why. Over many trips on Country, we developed a series of research goals and hypotheses associated with plants, heat, and drought. Over the last three years, we’ve been testing our questions on a range of culturally important species by measuring plant traits and environmental variables - everything from seasonal change in leaf water status, to microclimate loggers, xylem vulnerability to embolism, and answering key unknowns about important species including kurkara (desert oak) and pukara (desert heath myrtle). We will highlight our favourite stories and share some interesting results of what we have learnt together about these species and how they differ in their response to their environment, particularly water use strategies. Building shared knowledge of at-risk culturally important species at UKTNP is essential for Anangu and for informing park management in an uncertain climatic future. Our research has provided important insights into how Australian desert plants cope with extreme heat and drought, and we are excited to share those results with you.