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About the Department of the Environment and Heritage

The Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH) advises the Australian Government on policies and programmes for the protection and conservation of the environment, including both natural and cultural heritage places.We also manage environmental and cultural heritage programmes, including those that come under the umbrella of the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality.

An important part of our work is to cooperate with business, the community, Australian Government agencies, and state, territory, and local governments to improve environmental outcomes for Australians. We also administer environmental laws, such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).Our portfolio comprises:

• the Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH), which includes the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) and the Supervising Scientist Division (SSD)
• five statutory authorities: the Australian Heritage Council; the Director of National Parks; the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority; the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator; and the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust
• three executive agencies: the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO); the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology; and the National Oceans Office.

Although largely based in Canberra, DEH has a presence in all states and territories, and in many of Australia’s external territories. Figure 1 shows the Department’s permanent operational sites, excluding our Antarctic bases. More detailed information on DEH’s operations, functions and policy outcomes can be found on our departmental web site at www.deh.gov.au/about/ or in the annual report which can be accessed at www.deh.gov.au/about/annual-report.

Figure 1: Locations of DEH sites in Australia and on offshore islands