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Regeneration and survival of trees and shrubs was monitored over a five -year period following the chaining of an area of Casuarina pauper (belah) woodland on Nanya Station in western New South Wales. Chaining occurred in July 1991, and following very high rainfall from August 1992 to January 1993 widespread regeneration of woody species occurred. There was no regeneration of C. pauper. Alectryon oleifolius ssp. canescens regenerated from root suckers, while Myoporum platycarpum and ten other perennial woody species regenerated from seed. Over a further three years of below average rainfall the more palatable species declined while the less palatable, in particular Eremophila sturtii, Dodonaea viscosa ssp. angustissima, Senna artemisioides subspp. and Olearia pimeleoides, showed a significant increase over pre-chaining levels. These results are consistent with an assessment on the adjacent Ennisvale Station where an area was chained in 1970 prior to three years of above average rainfall. The implications of clearing for long-term vegetation change are discussed.