The ‘Mulligans Flat – Goorooyarroo Woodland Experiment’, situated in Canberra, Australia, represents a research partnership between the Australian Capital Territory Government, the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust, and several research institutions. The Experiment aims to enhance critically endangered box-gum grassy woodland for biodiversity by manipulating ecological processes within the exotic predator-proof Mulligans Flat-Goorooyarroo Woodland Sanctuary, which serves as an ‘outdoor laboratory’.

The Experiment provides a research framework for a comprehensive understanding of these grassy woodlands, addressing the breakdown of trophic webs and ecosystem function within this once-common community using a whole-ecosystem approach. This trophic rewilding experiment has included everything from restoration of the soil biome and invertebrate diversity, to a multi-species translocation program of ecosystem engineers, native predators, and more.

In this presentation I offer an overview of the experiment 18 years on, underscoring the importance of a holistic approach to community restoration and employing functional reintroductions as a tool. I will provide insight into our translocations to date and how our long-term research program has facilitated the development of practical tools and methods to improve the effectiveness of translocations ‘beyond-the-fence’.