The Department of the Interior [I] was created by Executive Council Minute No 32, Prime Minister's Department Minute 35 of 12 April 1932 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 33 of 14 April 1932, p 520). The Department was created from an amalgamation of the Department of Home Affairs [II] (CA 24), the Department of Transport [I] (CA 26) and the Department of Works and Railways (CA 14).

The Department of the Interior [I] took over all the functions of the former Department of Home Affairs [II] with the exception of those relating to Census and Statistics, all the functions of the former Department of Works and Railways, and such of the functions of the former Department of Transport [I] which related to internal transport, War Service Homes and waterside employment.

The principal metters dealt with by the Department were:
 
 Aliens Registration
 Astronomy
 Australian War Memorial
 Commonwealth Literary Fund
 Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others
 Co-ordination of Australian Transport Services
 Elections and Franchise
 Emigration of children and aboriginals
 Federal Transport Council
 Forestry
 Geodesy
 Immigration
 Indentured Coloured Labour
 Lands and Survey
 Meteorology
 Naturalization
 Northern Territory
 Oil Investigation and Prospecting (Encouragement of)
 Passports
 Pearl Shelling and Trepang Fisheries in Australian waters beyond  
  Territorial Limits
 Properties (a) transferred (b) acquired (c) rented
 Prospecting for precious metals (assistance for)
 Public Works and Services
 Railways
 Rivers, roads and bridges
 Seat of Government
 Solar Observatory
 War Service Homes
 Waterside employment
(Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 35 of 14 April 1932)
 
The following legislation was administered by the Department:

 Aliens Registration Act 1920
 Australian War Memorial Act 1925
 Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918-1929
 Commonwealth Railways Act 1917-1925
 Contract Immigrants Act 1905
 Emigration Act 1910
 Federal Aid Roads Act 1926-1931
 Forestry Bureau Act 1930
 Governor-General's Residences Act 1906
 Grafton to South Brisbane Railway Act 1924-1930 
 Immigration Act 1901-1930
 Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915
 Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway Lands Act 1918-1920
 Lands Acquisition Act 1906-1932
 Main Roads Development Acts 1923, 1924-1925
 Meteorology Act 1906
 Nationality Act 1920-1930
 Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910-1919
 Northern Territory (Administration) Act 1910-1931
 Northern Territory Railway Extension Act 1923
 Northern Territory Representation Act 1922-1925
 Oodmadatta to Alice Springs Railway Act 1926
 Passports Act 1920
 Petroleum Prospecting Act 1926-1928
 Precious Metals Prospecting Act 1926
 Railways (South Australia) Agreement Act 1926
 Referendum (Constitution Alteration) Act 1906-1928
 Representation Acts 1905, 1916, 1930
 River Murray Waters Act 1905-1923
 Seat of Government Act 1908
 Seat of Government Acceptance Act 1909,1922, 1929
 Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910-1931
 Seat of Government Railway Act 1928
 Senate Elections Act 1903-1922
 Solar Observatory Fund Act 1930-1931
 Transport Workers Act 1928-1929
 War Service Homes Act 1918-1932
(Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 35 of 14 April 1932)
 
The Department of Interior [I] was replaced by its successor, the Department of the Interior [II] (CA 31) on 26 April 1939 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 25 of 26 April 1939 p 671).

By 1936 the Department lost the control of waterside employment to the Attorney-General's Department; in 1937 control of War Service Homes was transferred to the Repatriation Department; in 1938 the Works and Service Branch was transferred to the newly created Department of Works [I]. By early 1939 the administration of Ashmore and Cartier Islands was transferred to the Department from Prime Minister's Department.  

The Department of Interior [I] was abolished on 26 April 1939 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 25 of 26 April 1939, p 671) and all of its functions, with the exception of the control of Commonwealth Literary Fund which went to the Prime Minister's Department and the control of the Standing Committee on Liquid Fuels which went to the Department of Supply and Development [I], were assumed by the newly created Department of the Interior [II] (CA 31).

The following Ministers held the Interior [I] portfolio:
 
12 Apr 1932 - 13 Oct 1932  : Hon Robert Archdale Parkhill
13 Oct 1932 - 12 Oct 1934  : Hon John Arthur Perkins
12 Oct 1934 -  9 Nov 1934  : Hon Eric John Harrison
 9 Nov 1934 - 29 Nov 1937  : Hon Thomas Paterson
29 Nov 1937 - 26 Apr 1939  : Hon John McEwen (CP 47)
 
The Permanent Heads of the Department were:
 
12 Apr 1932 - 22 Nov 1935  : H C Brown, CBE
25 Nov 1935 - 26 Apr 1936  : J A Carrodus, CBE
 

 

Historical agency address
Acton Road, Acton, Canberra ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Executive Council Minute No. 32, (Prime Minister's Minute No. 35) of 12 April 1932.
Abolition: Executive Council Minute No. 18 (Prime Minister's Minute No. 54) of 26 April 1939.