The Department of Human Geography was formed on 13 July 1968 by the division of the Department of Geography in the Research School of Pacific Studies into the Department of Human Geography and the Department of Biogeography and Geomorphology. The Department of Human Geography took over the work in economic and cultural geography. From July 1968 to December 1971 Dr H.C. Brookfield and Dr G.J.R Linge served successively as Acting Head of Department. In December 1971 Professor R.G. Ward took up his appointment as Professor and Head of the Department, and was Chair of the Department until 1980 when he took up the Directorship of the Research School of Pacific Studies. He continued his Directorship until May 1993 when he returned to the Department of Human Geography and headed the department between 1995-1998. Bryant Allen took up positions of Acting and Head of the Department before and after the appointment of Professor Katherine Gibson, who was Professor and Head of the Department from 1999-2008. In 2009 Gibson took up a position at the University of Western Sydney and Allen retired on 31 December 2009. Rather than appoint a replacement, and to help solve a critical budgetary crisis, the Department of Human Geography ceased to exist on 31 December 2009.

The Department of Geography was formed within the Research School of Pacific Studies in 1951. In 1967 Council took the decision to divide the Department and in July 1968 the Department was formally divided into two, the Department of Human Geography and the Department of Biogeography and Geomorphology. Professor O.H. K. Spate was Head of the Department until 1967 when he became Director of the Research School of Pacific Studies.