The Victorian Integrated Marine Observation System (IMOS) is providing researchers and the public with data on currents, pH levels, water temperature, salinity and oxygen levels and wave movements.

Deakin University School of Life and Environmental Sciences Associate Professor Daniel Ierodiaconou said before scientists started receiving this data it was like they were "working in the dark".

"By having this sustained monitoring, we can better understand how (the marine) systems are changing," Professor Ierodiaconou said.

"Our oceans are the sponges of our climate, they regulate our climate and play a huge role in the productivity of our ocean systems."

The deployment of $1 million array sensors in the Bonney Upwelling will help to increase the range of data available to researchers and the public.

"Bonney is one of the largest upwelling systems in the world and we have been limited in what we could do in terms of monitoring," Professor Ierodiaconou said.

"We don't know what is happening in the water column long-term.

"With this investment we can measure currents, changes in temperature, changes in ocean acidification. As an upwelling zone, we think this will be like a yellow canary for ocean acidification. We will be able to see the changes here first."

Changes in the ocean are likely to have implications for the broader environment, according to Professor Ierodiaconou. "Oceans are controlling our entire climate, changes that are happening in the oceans are likely to have an impact on the terrestrial systems," he said.

"So having a better understanding of what is going on is going to be really important as we move through a changing climate and adjust the way we work with our environment."

He said the results would help scientists understand the impact of upwelling on fisheries.