The effects of a range of pasture management options (introduced legumes and grasses, superphosphate, timber treatment, cultivation before sowing and stocking rate) on the basal cover of perennial grasses were measured from 1982 to 1991 at two sites, ‘Hillgrove’ and ‘Cardigan’, near Charters Towers, in north-east Queensland. Colonisation and survival of eight native and exotic grasses were followed in permanent quadrats in a subset of treatments. Overall, there were significant changes in total basal cover of plots between years and with tree killing, but no significant differences in sown pastures, fertiliser or stocking rate. Basal cover increased when defoliation levels were less than 40% but increases were smaller at higher levels of defoliation and basal cover often declined when defoliation was greater than 60%. Basal cover declined when growing seasons were <10 weeks, remained static with 10–15 weeks growth, and increased when growing seasons were 16 weeks or longer. There was some colonisation in all years but large differences between years. The differences in colonisation between systems were generally small but there was a general trend for higher colonisation at higher stocking rates. Bothriochloa ewartiana (Domin) C.E.Hubb. and Chrysopogon fallax S.T.Blake had low, Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem.&Schult., Cenchrus ciliaris L. and Aristida spp. had intermediate, and Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) A.Camus and Urochloa mosambicensis (Hack.) Dandy had high colonising ability. Survival of individual species was generally similar at both sites except for Urochloa mosambicensis. Heteropogon contortus and U. mosambicensis at ‘Hillgrove’ were short-lived (<10% survival after 4 years), B. ewartiana, Themeda triandra Forssk. and Aristida spp. had intermediate survival (10–50%), and C. ciliaris, C. fallax, B. pertusa and U. mosambicensis at ‘Cardigan’ were long-lived (>50% survival). Annual survival rates increased with plant age, were higher in good growing seasons than in poor seasons, were higher for large plants than small plants, and were lower at high defoliation levels than where defoliation was less severe. The differences between species in ability to colonise and survive, and the small influence of management compared to seasonal effects on survival, are discussed to explain species performance in pastures.