The Department of Home Affairs and Environment was created by Executive Council Meeting No 70 (Public Service Board Minute No 1980/56), notified in Commonwealth Gazette, No S247, 3 November 1980. It consisted of the former Department of Home Affairs [III] (CA 2474) and elements from the Department of Administrative Services [II] (CA 1964) and the Department of Science and the Environment (CA 2749). 
The new Department gained the following responsibilities:  

. the Environment Division of the Department of Science and the 
  Environment (including the Bureau of Flora and Fauna) and the 
  Environment Policy Branch of its Policy Division
 
. Environment and Conservation Statutory Authorities and
  administrative bodies outside the Department of Science and the 
  Environment
 
. the Australian Exhibitions Organisation and Australian
  Bicentennial Authority from the Department of Administrative 
  Services [II].
 
As listed in the Administrative Arrangements of 3 November 1980 (Commonwealth Gazette, No S250, 3 November 1980, p 8-9), the functions of the Department were:
 
. Constitutional development of the Northern Territory of Australia 
. Administration of Norfolk Island, the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) 
  Islands, the Territory of Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands 
  Territory and the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
. Women's affairs
. Support of the arts and letters
. National archives
. National museums
. World expositions
. Leisure, including sport, physical fitness and community recreation . Environment and conservation.
 
Acts administered by the Minister were:
 
. Ashmore and Cartier Islands Acceptance Act 1933
. Australian Council Act 1975
. Australian Bicentennial Authority Act 1980
. Australian Film and Television School Act 1973
. Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975
. Australian War Memorial Act 1980
. Captains Flat (Abatement of Pollution) Agreement Act 1975
. Christmas Island Act 1958
. Cocos (Keeling) Island Act 1955
. Coral Sea Islands Act 1969
. Darwin Lands Acquisition Act 1945
. Darwin Reconstruction Act 1975
. Environment (Financial Assistance) Act 1977
. Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978
. Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974
. Environment Protection (Nuclear Codes) Act 1978
. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Acts 1975
. Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976
. Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory (Remuneration and 
  Allowances) Act 1978
. Museum of Australia Act 1980
. National Fitness Act 1941
. National Gallery Act 1975
. National Library Act 1960
. National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975
. Norfolk Island Act 1979
. Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910
. Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978, except sections  
  69-70
. Removal of Prisoners (Territories) Act 1923, in so far as it
  relates to the Northern Territory of Australia (except to the
  extent administered by the Attorney-General) and to Norfolk Island,
  the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Territory of
  Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory and the Territory
  of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
. States Grants (Air Quality Monitoring) Act 1974
. States Grants (Nature Conservation) Act 1974
. Urban and Regional Development (Financial Assistance) Act 1974, in
  so far as it relates to national estate grants
. Whale Protection Act 1980.
 
On 23 December 1981 the Department became responsible for the following new enactments:
 
. Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981
. Koonjarra Project Area Act 1981
. Commonwealth Functions (Statutes Review) Act 1981, Part XIII.  

The last Act was only administered by the Department until 7 May 1982 when it passed to the Department of Social Security (CA 1489). It also became responsible for the War Precautions Repeal Act 1920 in relation to paragraph 22(e) which had been administered by the Department of Science and Technology (CA 3069). The Department became responsible for the New Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 and on 6 March 1984 the Archives Act 1983.
 
Under the Administrative Arrangements of 11 March 1983 the
responsibilities of the Department of Home Affairs and Environment were significantly reduced. Responsibility for women's affairs, described in the Arrangements Orders as `Status of women', was passed to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (CA 1401); sport and recreation together with the National Fitness Act were inherited by the new Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism (CA 3498): and responsibility for overseas territories, which included the following enactments, was transferred to the Department of Territories and Local Government (CA 3499):
 
. Ashmore and Cartier Islands Acceptance Act 1933
. Christmas Island Act 1958
. Christmas Island Agreement Acts
. Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955
. Coral Sea Islands Act 1969
. Darwin Lands Acquisition Act 1945
. Norfolk Island Act 1979
. Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978 except sections 
  69 and 70
. Removal of Prisoners (Territories) Act 1923, in so far as it
  relates to the Northern Territory of Australia (except to the
  extent administered by the Attorney-General) and to Norfolk Island,
  the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Territory of
  Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory and the Territory
  of Ashmore and Cartier Islands.
 
The Department gained responsibility for consumers affairs with the administration of the Trade Practices Act 1974, Part V from the Attorney-General's Department (CA 5) under the same Administrative Arrangements Orders. It also became responsible for the
administration of the new Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982.
 
In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 13 December (Executive Council Minute No 19; PSB No 1984/80) the Department of Home Affairs and Environment was renamed the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment (CA 4131) in view of the changes in function.  
In the same Administrative Arrangements Orders the following
Departments of State gained responsibility for matters previously dealt with by the Department of Home Affairs and Environment:  

. Attorney-General's (CA 5) - for consumer affairs
. Sport, Recreation and Tourism (CA 3498) - for international 
  expositions
. Prime Minister and Cabinet (CA 1401) - for bicentennial
  celebrations
. Arts, Heritage and Environment (CA 4131) - for environment and 
  conservation, cultural affairs (including support for the arts, 
  national collections, protection of the national heritage) and 
  national archives.
 
Ministers for Home Affairs and Environment were:
 
 3 Nov 1980 - 17 Feb 1981   : Hon Robert James Ellicott (CP 134)
17 Feb 1981 - 19 Mar 1981   : Hon Michael John Randal MacKellar 
                              (CP 286)  
19 Mar 1981 -  7 May 1982   : Hon Ian Wilson (Cp 263)
 7 May 1982 - 11 Mar 1983   : Hon Daniel Thomas [Tom] McVeigh 
                              (CP 288)  
11 Mar 1983 - 13 Dec 1984   : Hon Barry Cohen.
 
Secretaries to the Department were:
 
 3 Nov 1980 -  1 Feb 1984   : Dr D F McMichael (CP 303)
 1 Feb 1984 - 27 Jul 1984   : P Galvin (acting)
27 Jul 1984 - 13 Dec 1984   : P Galvin
Historical agency address
1980-1983: Wales Centre, London Circuit, Canberra City
1983-1984: Tasman House, Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra City
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S247, 3 November 1980 
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S520, 13 December 1984