Evapotranspiration (ET) landfill covers have been proposed as an alternative to traditional barrier covers, with aims to improve long-term environmental performance. Trial of these systems is underway in south-east Australia utilizing mine waste for the cover substrate and a selection of native vegetation. Preliminary planting trials have seen the successful establishment of vegetation on the material, while compaction trials have enabled in situ dry bulk density to be related to the method of placement. The designed ET cover profiles will be assessed with four full scale test sections, including two lysimeters for the direct collection of percolation and two sections open to the normal fluxes of landfill gas, heat and water vapour present in the landfill environment in order to observe their effects on the establishing vegetation cover.