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The value of conducting research with multidisciplinary and inter-disciplinary teams, involving both researchers and practitioners to develop problem-orientated and solution-focussed research is well recognised. 'Rangelands Living Skin' was a five-year project linking producers, scientists, education and extension agencies, commercial carbon companies and communications experts to evaluate cost-effective practices that focused on regenerating the New South Wales (NSW) rangelands in Australia, and supporting productive, profitable and sustainable businesses. The project brought together 1 2 project partners, plus additional expert consultants. The project aimed to create an evidence-base and build capacity for widespread adoption of practices that benefit soil, plants, animals and people – the living skin of the rangelands. Collaboration and co-design were at the core of the project, which took a farmer-centric approach. Producers from four grazing enterprises in western NSW were involved in all aspects of project design and delivery. An additional 26 producers were also signed up as 'observers', attending project events, collecting data across their own properties and creating a community of like-minded pastoralists in western NSW. Benefits of this approach included improving the breadth, robustness and relevance of the scientific research, bringing together diverse experience and perspectives, connecting stakeholders and increasing the project reach, producer engagement and participation. However, this approach was not without challenges, including increasing project complexity and scope creep, managing varying expectations of different partners, maintaining engagement and balancing the need for scientific design and rigor with practicalities of producer priorities and the environmental context. Key findings and recommendations from the Rangeland Living Skin project in undertaking collaborative, co-designed research for successful producer engagement, industry collaboration and adoption of research outcomes in rangeland grazing systems are discussed.