The Federal Government will throw $320 million to support Australian researchers and researcher facilities in a bid to drive innovation and support high-quality, high-tech jobs.

Of the $320 million, $135 will be invested of five years to extend the Future Fellowships scheme to attract and retain the best and brightest mid-career researchers in Australia.

"Australia's future prosperity will depend increasingly on the high skills and innovation needed to compete against the world's brightest," Tertiary Education Minister Craig Emerson said.

"The research conducted by Future Fellows goes some way to making Australia competitive in the global economy.”

The remaining $185.9 million will be commited to the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) to maintain research infrastructure over the next two years.

This includes fabrication infrastructure to support advances in materials design; earth-imaging and geospatial systems of direct benefit to mining; high-end computing infrastructure to address climate change, ocean modelling, earth systems science and national water management issues; and terrestrial observing systems, which support research into food, water, resource and biological security and the impacts of increasing human population.

Dr Emerson also announced that $30.9 million will be invested in the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

This investment is about protecting marine life and supporting the environmental performance of our marine industries, which are projected to double in value by 2025," Dr Emerson said.

"Growth in areas like offshore oil and gas, marine‑based tourism and port development will benefit regional economies, but we need to do the research to ensure that growth is environmentally sustainable."