The Department of Northern Development was created on 19 December 1972 by Executive Council minute (Public Service Board Minute 47) of 19 December 1972. (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 129A, 19 December 1972, p 1)  

Functions of the Department were:
 
 In respect of the part of Australia north of the parallel 26 degrees
 south latitude-
  Matters related to the specialised development and utilisation of
   natural resources, being land, water and minerals 
  Matters related to the production and marketing of sugar and beef,
   and the production, processing and export of minerals 
  Specialised transport development projects, including beef and
   development roads, mining railways and mineral port facilities 
 In relation to the foregoing- 
  The undertaking or support of research 
  The planning or initiation of projects 
  The co-ordination of activities in respect of projects 
  Co-operation with the States and other authorities 
  (Administrative Arrangements Orders, Commonwealth Gazette, No 131,
   20 December 1972, p 7)
 
Acts Administered:
 
 Brigalow Lands Agreement Act 1962-1967
 Derby Jetty Agreement Act 1962
 Gladstone Power Station Agreement Act 1970
 Queensland Beef Cattle Roads Agreement Act 1962-1966
 Queensland Grant (Bundaberg Irrigation Works) Act 1970
 Queensland Grant (Maraboon Dam) Act 1968
 Railway Agreement (Queensland) Act 1961
 Railway Agreement (Queensland) Act 1968
 states Grants (Beef Cattle Roads) Act 1968
 Sugar Agreement Act 1971
 Sugar Industry Assistance Act 1967
 Sugar Marketing Assistance Agreement Act 1967
 Weipa Development Agreement Act 1965
 Western Australian Agreement (Ord River Irrigation) Act 1968
 Western Australia (Northern Development) Agreement Act 1963
 
In a press statement released in December 1972 the following was said:  

 "This new Department and its Ministers will be charged with overall 
 policy and co-ordination in the development of all of Australia
 north of the 26th parallel (the border South Australia and the
 Northern Territory is on the 26th parallel; it runs across
 Queensland a little south of Maryborough and across Western
 Australia a little north of Meekatharra). The Minister and his
 Department will have primary responsibility for the sugar industry,
 80 per cent of which is north of the 26th parallel. They will also
 be concerned with the development of beef production in the north
 and with other developments of significance in Queensland or Western
 Australia and in the Northern Territory.
 
 "The Activities of the Department will concentrate on policy,
 planning and co-ordination, so as to ensure that the best is
 obtained out of existing resources and that, where additional
 resources are required, these are effectively mobilised."
 
The Department of Northern Development was abolished on 6 June 1975, and together with the Department of the Northern Territory (CA 1484) its functions formed the basis for its successor, the Department of Northern Australia (CA 1889) (see Australian Government Gazette, No S104, 6 June 1975, pp 1-6).
 
Minister of the Department of Northern Development was:
 
19 Dec 1972 -  6 Jun 1975   : Hon Rex Alan Patterson
 
Secretaries to the Department were:
 
19 Dec 1972 - 20 Dec 1972   : L F Bott (Acting)
20 Dec 1972 -  6 Jun 1975   : R S Livingston
 

Historical agency address
1972-1974: Tasman House, Hobart Place, Canberra City
1974-1975: CAGA House, Akuna Street, Canberra City
Legislation administered
Creation: Executive Council Meeting No.55 (Publc Service Board minuteNo.48) of 19 December 1972.
Abolition: Executive Council Meeting No.58 (Prime Minister and CabinetNo.23) of 6 June 1975