ANSIR was created as a Major National Research Facility in 1997 to encourage and assist world-class research and education in the field of seismic imaging of the Earth. Since 2007 ANSIR has operated in conjunction with the Earth Imaging component of the AuScope facility established under the NCRIS scheme. AuScope funding provides support for some operational costs.

ANSIR provides support for a variety of styles of experiments in Earth Imaging. There is a pool of state-of-the-art seismic equipment suitable for experiments on a wide variety of scales, from the investigation of geologic structures on environmental and mine scales through to studies at the continental scale of the entire lithosphere. Thanks to ARC LIEF and AuScope support there is now a pool of magnetotelluric equipment that can be accessed through applications to the Facility.
ANSIR acts as a facilitation agent for Reflection Seismic Profiling since it no longer owns any reflection equipment.

ANSIR equipment is available to all researchers on the basis of merit, as judged by an Access Committee on the basis of a short proposal. Researchers have to meet the project operating costs. Training is provided in the use of the portable equipment.

Applicants for access to ANSIR equipment are encouraged to contact the Director of the facility to discuss their needs for prospective projects and then prepare a formal proposal.