The title of this project “Science leadership for cotton development in Northern Australia” required technical support for new cotton industries across a huge (1/3 of Australia) new and different region, climatically, biologically and culturally. As anyone associated with cotton in Australia knows since the end of 2019 investment and test farming of cotton in the tropical north was massive. To be efficient and effective in this environment with a small team this project has minimised overlap with other cotton projects, delivered resources and information collated from past northern cotton and relevant other broad acre crop R&D, entered into partnerships with local agencies / farmer groups e.g. CRCNA collaboration in the NT. Flexibility to address new issues was required e.g. the partnership with Vanderfield, CSD and the CRCNA project to address establishment challenges with rain grown cotton. From the onset assisting local technical skill development was a key activity, this encompassed research, crop monitoring and crop management and natural resources (suitable soils).