This article is intended to stimulate discussion on the implications of current approaches to improving the integration and adoption of research and development (R&D) in integrated catchment management (ICM). We argue that there are a series of barriers to improvements in the integration and adoption of research and development in ICM associated with fundamental characteristics of the research endeavour and the specific strategies that have been used by R&D funding organisations, particularly those focussed on the project level. Recent moves towards funding commissioned work, aimed largely at synthesising information into more ‘usable’ forms, may overcome some of the project level limitations, but the extent to which R&D organisations and researchers should take on the ‘extension’ role (or ‘implementation function’) is less clear. R&D organisations need to avoid responding to changes in funding for ‘implementation functions’ at the federal and state level by attempting to fill the gap themselves, unless significantly increased resources are made available. There is not enough money to be effective, many factors that affect success are outside the control of the organisation, and in the necessary shifting of resources, the core activity of R&D will suffer. New regional ICM organisations, probably in partnership with R&D funders, may be placed to undertake the implementation function. This would enable the bulk of the R&D agencies' resources to be focussed on undertaking high quality R&D, while providing the linkages important to effective on-ground action.