The Wheat Research Unit was transferred to CSIRO from the Bread Research Institute of Australia (non-CSIRO) on 20 October 1958. It remained an independent research body, supervised by the Director of the Bread Research Institute of Australia. It was located at North Ryde, Sydney, and it was incorporated into the Division of Plant Industry in January, 1988.

The unit undertook research into all aspects of grain and flour utilisation such as wheat protein changes during bread making and the extraction of nitrogenous constituents from flour. Other projects included studies of proteins, gluten, flour pentosans, non-protein nitrogen, wheat flour lipids, grain morphology and similar grain and flour constituents.

In 1998 consideration was given to changing the name of the laboratory to Wheat Germplasm Laboratory.
Historical agency address
20 Oct 1958 - present : North Ryde, NSW