The department was established in 1876 with the appointment of John Turnbull Thomson as Surveyor-General.

Its existence as an independent agency was consolidated with the passing of the Land Act 1892.

The head of the department initially held the titles of both preceding agencies as the Surveyor-General and Under-Secretary for Lands until 1906.

The department also administered a number of Statutory Boards which dealt the administration and management of land.

[3] In April 1987 the department was disestablished as part of significant restructuring of government administration.