Future weather and climate predictions have been given a major boost with the launch of a new national research facility worth $7.6 million.

Based at The Australian National University (ANU), the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS) is the Southern Hemisphere's largest computer modelling system. 

As a new National Research Infrastructure funded by the Commonwealth Government, the Australian Earth System Simulator (ACCESS-NRI) will bring together researchers from the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO, Monash University, the University of Melbourne, UNSW Sydney, the University of Tasmania and ANU, as well as international partners.

Together they will use cutting-edge computer simulations and models to provide researchers and decision-makers better information on climate change, extreme weather events, and past and future Earth systems.

Inaugural Director, Professor Andy Hogg from ANU, said ACCESS-NRI's suite of computer models already power international global climate reports, weather forecasting, seasonal prediction, climate projection and climate adaptation policy.

"Now as a National Research Infrastructure, we will build a community of practice across all of Australia and hopefully the world," Professor Hogg said.