The national cohort of Regional Soil Coordinators recently travelled to Armidale, NSW to join the annual Soil Judging Competition hosted by Soil Science Australia. Nothing short of a significant organisational achievement, this year’s event held at the University of New England involved over 220 people from 11 countries!
Soil judging is first and foremost a soil classification competition where participants describe, classify and interpret soil profiles in the field. It promotes practical training, exposure to different soil types and networking across students, early career professionals and experienced soil scientists from around Australia and abroad.
Soil profile characteristics
Numerous characteristics are assessed in the process of classifying a soil type including (but not exhaustive):
- Site – landform, slope, parent material (formation), surface condition; and
- Soil profile – horizons (layers), texture (ratio of sand, silt and clay), colour, structure, drainage, slaking, dispersion, pH.
The soil profile is then classed according to the Australian Soil Classification. Available water capacity and soil erosion calculations are conducted, and land suitability assessments are made based on the range of results.
Why classify soil you may ask?
Soils are complex and multi-dimensional. The soil on the surface is typically quite different to soil throughout the depth of the profile. Looking at the soil profile to depth and classifying soils allows us to identify potential constraints and facilitates management decisions associated with varying water and nutrient dynamics.
Soil classification groups soils based on measurable properties from throughout the profile, giving us a standardised language for comparison across regions or farms. This helps us predict whether research or management practices will apply locally and can provide insights into how subsoil characteristics influence root-zone conditions and plant growth.
2026 Soil Judging in Western Australia
The 2026 Soil Judging Competition will be held in Western Australia from 29 to 31 October, immediately prior to the Soil Science Conference which will be held in Perth from 2 to 5 November. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the process of soil classification, gain an appreciation of how it relates to land management considerations and interact with a variety of like-minded peers.
Want to hear more about it, got some questions or considering entering a team? Get in touch with Bridget (Regional Soil Coordinator for Southern WA) at Bridget.Watkins@murdoch.edu.au
Additional resources
For more information, check out the following resources:
- Soil groups – Soil Quality Knowledge Base
- Australian Soil Classification – CSIRO
- WA Soil Groups – DPIRD
- NR Info – online mapping tool with layers identifying previous soil landscape mapping – DPIRD
Bridget Watkins is the South-West WA Regional Soil Coordinator (RSC). The RSC project provides opportunities for researchers, primary producers and community groups to collaborate and share knowledge related to soil health and management. The project is supported by the Australian Government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust, and in South-West WA is led by the SW WA Hub in partnership with SoilsWest at Murdoch University.
