On 21 April 1975, the Governor-General approved the change of name of the Department of the Environment and Conservation to the
Department of the Environment (Executive Council Meeting No 43 (Prime Minister and Cabinet Minute No 20) (Australian Government Gazette, 
No S70, 21 April 1975).
 
The Prime Minister, Mr E G Whitlam said that the former name suggested that conservation was a separate matter from the environment whereas it was in fact a major component of the Government's total environmental program.
 
The principal matters the department was responsible for were:
 
 Environment and conservation, including water and the protection and
  use of water resources
 National parks
 Wildlife conservation
 
The following enactments were administered by the department:-  
 
 Blowering Water Storage Works Agreement Act 1963
 Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974
 Menindee Lakes Storage Agreement Act 1963
 New South Wales Grant (Flood Mitigation) Act 1971-1973
 New South Wales Grant (Gwydir River Dam) Act 1969
 River Murray Waters Act 1915-1974
 South Australia Grant (Tailem Bend to Keith Pipeline) Act 1969   
 States Grants (Nature Conservation) Act 1974
 States Grants (Soil Conservation) Act 1974
 States Grants (Water Resources Measurement) Act 1970
 States Grants (Water Resources Measurement) Act 1973-1974
 Tasmania Grant (Cressy-Longford Irrigation Works) Act 1969
 Victoria Grant (King River Dam) Act 1969
 Victoria Grant (River Murray Salinity) Act 1968
 
The Department of Environment was abolished on 22 December 1975 (Executive Council Meeting No 119, PSB Minute No 1875/58)
(Australian Government Gazette No S262, 22 December 1975), and was succeeded by the Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development (CA 1954), with water resources functions going to the Department of National Resources (CA 1957). 
 
Minister for the Department were:
 
21 Apr 1975 -  6 Jun 1975  : Hon Moses Henry Cass (CP 168)
 6 Jun 1975 -  2 Jul 1975  : Hon James Ford Cairns (CP 95)
 2 Jul 1975 - 13 Jul 1975  : Hon Edward Gough Whitlam (CP 99) 
14 Jul 1975 - 11 Nov 1975  : Hon Joseph Max Berinson
11 Nov 1975 - 22 Dec 1975  : Hon Andrew Sharp Peacock (CP 234)  

Secretary to the Department was:
 
21 Apr 1975 - 22 Dec 1975  : Dr D F McMichael (CP 303)
 

Historical agency address
Civic Permanent Centre, Allara Street, Canberra City, ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Executive Council Meeting No.43, Prime Minister and Cabinet Minute No.20, 21 April 1975 
Abolition: Executive Council Meeting No. 119, P.S.B. Minute No. 1975/58, 22 Dec. 1975.