By Mali Eagle, Soil Graduate
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Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to head down to Armidale to compete in the annual Soil Judging Competition. It was a few days of early starts, long hours in soil pits, plenty of head-scratching, and just as many good laughs. After the training sessions and a lot of practice describing some very tricky profiles, our team ended up placing second in the early-career division – which we were absolutely stoked with.
For anyone unfamiliar with soil judging, it’s basically the soil science version of reading a landscape like a storybook. Competitors hop into a series of soil pits and work through describing features such as texture, structure, colour, horizons, drainage, and any limitations for agricultural or environmental use. It’s incredibly hands-on, often messy, and surprisingly fun if you enjoy puzzles. More importantly, it builds the core field skills that land management and environmental work rely on; the kind of skills you can’t learn from a desk.
Events like this are also a great chance to connect with others in the field. Soil science is essential to everything from food production to climate resilience, but it’s not always a well-supported discipline. Competitions and training sessions like soil judging bring together mentors, students, and professionals, helping to keep these skills alive and strengthening the community around them.
This month also marks World Soils Day (5 December), which highlights the vital role soils play in supporting ecosystems, agriculture, and climate adaptation. Here in northern Australia, with its complex geology, unique land systems, and seasonal extremes, maintaining strong soil knowledge is especially important.
I’m grateful to everyone who supported this year’s competition, from the organisers to the mentors and training staff. It was a great opportunity to learn, connect, and sharpen the skills I’ll be taking back into my work across the region.