Australia’s Great Artesian Basin (GAB) Springs are unique groundwater-dependent ecosystems supporting numerous endemic and threatened plant species as well as being listed, themselves, as Matters of National Environmental Significance. Scattered through relatively dry, pastoral landscapes, these strange oases are subject to a range of existing and potential pressures including livestock grazing, drought, climate change and possible groundwater drawdown resulting from mining activities in the region. Understanding the resilience of vegetation in these springs is key to informing decision-making regarding their long-term protection, including mitigation of threats and the development of restoration opportunities. Here, we present the results of several studies investigating vegetation in the Doongmabulla Springs group of central Queensland in relation to environmental change. Drawing on a field survey program spanning five years, we developed species distribution models for a selection of important plant species across major springs in relation to modelled climate change, identifying those species likely to be at greatest risk and those which may instead expand under projected conditions. We also conducted glasshouse experiments to investigate the regenerative capacity of spring plant communities following drought or other major disturbances. Overall, we seek to make predictions concerning the vulnerability of key plant species and vegetation communities of these nationally and globally significant ecosystems and inform their evidence-based management.