This department was created on 19 December 1972 in pursuance of section 64 of the Constitution (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 129A, 19 Dec 1972, p 1). Under the provisions of the Administrative Arrangements of 20 December 1972, the principal matters dealt with were:
 
 - Science and technology, including research and
   support of research
 - Meteorology
 - Ionospheric Prediction Service
 - Patents of Inventions and designs, and trade marks
 - Weights and Measures
 - National Standards
   (Gazette, No 131, 20 December 1972, p 9)
 
The department administered the following legislation:
 
 - Anglo-Australian Telescope Agreement Act 1970-1971
 - Antarctic Treaty Act 1960
 - Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act 1933
 - Australian Antarctic Territory Act 1954-1963
 - Australian Institute of Marine Science Act 1972
 - Designs Act 1906-1968
 - Heard Island and McDonald Islands Act 1953-1963
 - Metric Conversion Act 1970-1971
 - Meteorology Act 1955
 - Mount Stromlo Observatory Act 1956
 - Patents Act 1952-1969
 - Patents, Trade Marks, Designs and Copyright Act 1939-1953 except,
   to the extent to which that Act is administered by the Attorney
   -General  
 - Science and Industry Endowment Act 1926-1949
 - Science and Industry Research Act 1949-1968
 - States Grants (Research) Act 1965-1966
 - Trade Marks Act 1955-1966
 - Weights and Measures (National Standards) Act 1960-1966
   (Gazette, No 131, 20 December 1972, pp 9-10)
 
The following press release was issued at the time of the creation of the new department:
 
 "Establishment of a separate Department of Science emphasises the 
 importance placed by the Government on the development of science 
 and technology.
 
 "Although the name of the Department is 'Science' - wherever
 possible Departments have been given short names - the new Minister 
 and Department will be as much involved with technology and
 operational matters in the field of science as with research.  A
 balance is given to the activities of the Department by transferring
 to it responsibility for both scientific research, eg through the
 CSIRO, the development of policy and priorities for science and the
 Commonwealth Analyst, and on operational matters, eg by transferring
 to it administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory and the
 Bureau of Meteorology.  The Department takes over the science
 functions of the former Department of Education and Science and has
 added to them responsibility for the Bureau of Meteorology, and
 administration of  the Patent Office". 
 (From Press Release, 'New Departments: summary of main functions and
 brief notes')
 
Under the Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 October 1974 (Executive Council Minute No 41, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 80B, 2 October 1974, p 12), analytical laboratory service was added to the list of the department's explicit functions. This was the first appearance of this function. In the same year the Department also inherited responsibility for administering certain aspects of the Defence (Transitional Provisions) Act 1946-1966, and the Defence Transitional (Residual Provisions) Act 1952 from the Attorney-General's Department.
 
Under the Administrative Arrangements Order of 8 February 1975 (Executive Council Minute No 4, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S 21, 10 February 1975, p 12), support of civil space research
programs, previously an implicit function performed by the Department of Manufacturing Industry (CA 1770), was explicitly included in the functions of the Department of Science. Under the same Administrative Arrangements Order, the Department of Science received responsibility for the Government Paint Committee from the Department of Defence [III] (CA 46).
 
Under the Administrative Arrangements Order of 6 June 1975
(Executive Council Minute No 23, Australian Government Gazette, No S 104, 6 June 1975, pp 5,1) a new matter, consumer affairs, was given to the department to administer. Accordingly its title was changed to "Department of Science and Consumer Affairs" (CA 1888). The function of research into minerals and solar energy was passed to the
Department of Minerals and Energy (CA 1482).
 
Minister of the Department of Science [I] was:
 
19 Dec 1972 -  5 Jun 1975   : Hon William Lawrence Morrison
 
Secretary to the Department was:
 
19 Dec 1972 -  5 Jun 1975   : Sir Hugh Ennor
 

Historical agency address
  1972-by1973: Albemarle Building, Furzer St, Phillip ACT
by1973-by1975: Scarborough House, Phillip ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Executive Council Minute No. 47, 19 Dec. 1972
Abolition: Executive Council Minute No. 23, 6 June 1975