The Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment was created by a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (as notified in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S521, 13 December 1984). At its creation the new portfolio consisted of the Environment, Cultural and Heritage sections of the former Department of Home Affairs and Environment (CA 3068) Responsibility for administration of the Australian Institute of Anatomy Agreement Act 1924 was passed to the new Department from the Department of Health (CA 17).
 
As listed in the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 13 December 1984, (Commonwealth Gazette, No S521, 13 December 1984) the
functions of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment were:  

. Environment and conservation
. Cultural affairs, including support for the arts
. National collections
. National heritage.
 
Acts administered by the Minister were:
 
. Archives Act 1983
. Australia Council Act 1975
. Australian Film and Television School Act 1973
. Australian Film Commission Act 1975
. Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975
. Australian Institute of Anatomy Agreement Act 1924
. Captains Flat (Abatement of Pollution) Agreement 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
. Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981
. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975
. Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976
. Koongarra Project Area Act 1981
. Museum of Australia Act 1980
. National Gallery Act 1975
. National Library Act 1960
. National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975
. States Grants (Air Quality Monitoring) Act 1976
. States Grants (Nature Conservation) Act 1974
. Urban and Regional Development (Financial Assistance) Act 1974, 
  insofar as it relates to national estate grants
. Whale Protection Act 1980
. Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982 
. World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983.
 
The Department was located in Canberra and was organised upon functional lines into the following divisions:
 
. Environment Contaminants Division
. Environment Policy Division
. Cultural and Heritage Division
. Co-ordination and Management Services Branch
 (Commonwealth Government Directory, Vol 1, March 1985, pp 67-68).  

The Department was responsible for the following statutory
authorities and agencies:
 
. Australia Council
. Australian Archives
. Australian Film and Television School
. Australian Heritage Commission
. Australian National Gallery
. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service
. Bureau of Flora and Fauna
. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
. Musuem of Australia
. National Film and Sound Archives
. National Library of Australia
. Supervising Scientist for the Alligator Rivers Region
 (Commonwealth Government Directory, Vol 1, March 1985, pp 68-74).  

As a result of the 12 December 1985 Administrative Arrangements (notified in Commonwealth Gazette, No S523, 12 December 1985) the Arts, Heritage and Environment portfolio received responsibility for the National Botanic Gardens and the Canberra National Memorials Committee (Prime Minister's Press Release of 12 December 1985, p 1).  
In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 1 February 1986
(notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S30, 1 February 1986), the Public Lending Right Act 1985 was added to the list of enactments administered by the Department.
 
The Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 was added in the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 3 February l987, and at the same time the repeal of the Australian Institute of Anatomy Act was reflected. (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S16, 3 February 1987).
 
In July 1987 the Prime Minister announced a major restructuring of the administration, resulting in the amalgamation of 28 departments into 16 `super-ministries'. The Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment was abolished by Executive Council Meeting No. (PSB Minute No.1987/ ). With the exception of the national archives, which passed to the new Department of Administrative Services [III] (CA 5983), all other functions and legislative responsibilities of the abolished Department were assumed by the new Department of Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories (CA 5984).
(Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S183, 24 July 1987).
 
The Minister for the Arts, Heritage and Environment was:
 
  13 Dec 1984-24 Jul 1987: Hon Barry Cohen.
 
The Secretary to the Department was:
 
  13 Dec 1984-24 Jul 1987: P Galvin (CP 338).
Historical agency address
Tasman House, Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S521, 13 December 1984
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S183, 24 July 1987