On 18 November 1916 the Governor-General directed it to be notified that with the advice of the Federal Executive Council he had established, as from 14 November 1916, the Department of Works and Railways (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No.172 of 23 November 1916, p 3177). The Department assumed all of its functions from the Department of Home Affairs [I] (CA 8) which was abolished on the 14 November 1916. These were:
 
 Public Works
 Railways
 Rivers
 
In 1918 the Department acquired the control of the River Murray Commission from the Department of Home and Territories (CA 15) and two new functions which appeared for the first time. These were:
 
 Designs, Construction, Addition, Alteration and Maintenance of
 Public Buildings; and Design and Execution of Engineering Works.
 
In 1923 the Department assumed control of War Service Homes, previously controlled by the Department of Repatriation (CA 16). This function was transferred to the Department of Markets and Transport (CA 23) in 1928 together with the control of railways. Also in 1923 the Department acquired a new function of conveyance of Members of Parliament and others.
 
In 1925 the control of lands and surveys was transferred to the Department from the Department of Home and Territories and a newly created function - that of roads and bridges - added to its sphere of control.
 
With the abolition of the Department of Home and Territories on 10 December 1928, the Department of Works and Railways assumed the control of three of its functions, these being:
 
 Geodesy (International map of the World and 129th Meridian);
 Properties transferred and acquired; and 
 Rental of buildings for Commonwealth purposes.
 
By 1928 the Department of Works and Railways had control of the following functions:
 
 Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others
 Design and Execution of Engineering Works
 Designs, Construction, Addition, Alteration and Maintenance of
  Public Buildings
 Geodesy (International Map of the World and 129th Meridian)
 Lands and Surveys
 Properties (transferred and acquired)
 Public Works
 Rental of Buildings for Commonwealth purposes
 Rivers
 Roads and Bridges

(Administrative Arrangements Order, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 139, 15 December 1928).
 
The Acts administered by the Department as outlined in the
Administrative Arrangements Order of 20 December 1916 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 188, 21 December 1916) were:
 
 Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway Act 1911
 Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway Survey Act 1907
 Pine Creek to Katherine River Railway 1913
 Pine Creek to Katherine River Railway Survey Act 1912
 
By 1928 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 139 of 15 December 1928) the Administrative Arrangements Order (the last in the life of the Department) lists the following Acts as being administered by the Minister for Works and Railways:
 
 Federal Aid Roads Act 1926
 Governor-General's Residence Act 1906
 Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway Lands Act 1918
 Lands Acquisition Act 1906
 Main Roads Development Act 1923
 Main Roads Development Act 1924
 River Murray Waters Act 1915
 
The Department of Works and Railways was abolished on 12 April 1932 and its functions, together with the functions of the Departments of Home Affairs [II] (CA 24) and Transport [I] (CA 26) which were abolished on the same day, were assumed by the newly created Department of the Interior [I] (CA 27) (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 33 of 14 April 1932, p 520).

The following were Ministers for Works and Railways:
 
14 Nov 1916 - 17 Feb 1917   : Senator the Hon Patrick Joseph Lynch
17 Feb 1917 - 27 Mar 1918   : Hon William Alexander Watt
27 Mar 1918 - 21 Dec 1921   : Hon Littleton Ernest Groom
21 Dec 1921 -  9 Feb 1923   : Hon Richard Withy Foster
 9 Feb 1923 -  5 Aug 1924   : Hon Percy Gerald Stewart
 8 Aug 1924 - 29 Nov 1928   : Hon William Caldwell Hill
10 Dec 1928 - 22 Oct 1929   : Hon William Garrand Gibson
22 Oct 1929 -  4 Feb 1931   : Hon Joseph Aloysius Lyons (CP 254)
 4 Feb 1931 -  6 Jan 1932   : Hon Albert Ernest Green
 6 Jan 1932 - 12 Apr 1932   : Hon Charles William Clarran Marr
 
The Permanent Heads of the Department were:
 
14 Nov 1916 - 31 Aug 1917   : D Miller, CMG, ISO, VD
28 Sep 1917 - 11 Apr 1926   : W D Bingle, ISO
12 Apr 1926 -  7 Mar 1929   : H L Walters
11 Jun 1929 - 12 Apr 1932   : P A Gourgand
 
 

 

Historical agency address
  1916-  1932: Commonwealth Offices, Treasury Gardens, Melbourne
Legislation administered
Creation: Executive Council Meeting No.79 (P.M.'s Minute No.131) of 22 November 1916
Abolition: Executive Council Meeting No.32 (P.M. Minute No.35) of 12 April 1932