Australian priorities for soil research and land manager engagement to improve sustainable soil management

•Soil research outputs are episodic and linked to public funding initiatives.•Long-term holistic research of soil functionality is required to embed findings in practice.•Weakened capacity to communicate research findings to the land stewards.•Research ways to balance the carbon and nutrient cycles to avoid loss of soil function.•Communicate credible, local knowledge on soils that connects audiences in meaningful ways.