On 26 February 1942 the National Security (Allied Works) Regulations (Statutory Rules 1942, No. 88) were promulgated, that made provision for the appointment of a Director-General of Allied Works who was to have direct control of:
(a) the carrying out of works of whatever nature required for war purposes by Allied Forces in Australia;
(b) the securing of supplies of materials, plant, tools and equipment for the purposes of such works;
(c) the employment of technicians, workmen and others for the purposes of such works, and the transport, accommodation and provisioning of such workmen and others.

On 14 April 1942 the Regulations were amended by Statutory Rules 1942, No. 170, and the Civil Constructional Corps (CA 681) was established under the control of the Director-General of Allied Works. This was mainly formed by calling up men, generally aged between 45 and 60, who were not in protected industries or the armed forces - 60,000 of them at the end of 1943. They worked on docks, factories, roads, aerodromes and airstrips, wharves, camps and installations.

On 3 May 1943 a Civil Aliens Corps (CA 680) was established by National Security (Aliens Service) Regulations, Statutory Rules 1943, No. 108 under the control of the Director-General of Allied Works. He was given power to direct any male refugee alien or male enemy alien between the ages of 18 and 60 to serve in the Civil Aliens Corps.

On 2 February 1945 the Department of Works [II] (CA 50) was established and on 16 February 1945 the National Security (Allied Works) Regulations, Statutory Rules 1945, No. 16 were promulgated, abolishing the position of the Director-General of Allied Works, and hence the Allied Works Council.

------------
Associated notable engineering achievements :
* Large number of aerodromes and airstrips built throughout inland Australia, particularly in Northern Australia;
* Road from the railhead at Alice Springs north to the railhead at Larrimah (Birdum) [Stuart Highway];
* Road from the railhead at Mt.Isa, Queensland, to Tennant Creek on the Alice Springs - Darwin road;
* Road from Ipswich to Charters Towers via Claremont;
* Road from Cairns to the Atherton Tablelands via Kuranda and Mareeba;
* Road from Port Pirie, South Australia to Norseman, Western Australia;
* Road from Meekatharra to Marble Bar, Western Australia;
* Road from Windsor to Singleton, to provide a link from Sydney to the New England Highway;
* Road from Narrabeen to Seaforth [Wakehurst Parkway];
* Road from Pagewood to Botany [Wentworth Avenue, 'the Burma Road');
* Overall ~6000 kilometres of new roads; and reconstruction of ~8000 kilometres of stock routes for wheeled vehicles;
* Replacement of the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge;
* Duplication of the railway from Cootamundra to Junee;
* Duplication of the railway from Goulburn Junction, NSW to Seymour, VIC;
* Third rail between Port Pirie and Broken Hill;
* Addition of many passing loops on single track railway lines;
* Extra handling facilities at border 'break-of-gauge' stations.