W.D. & H.O. Wills

British Tobacco Manufacturing Company

The land which today makes up Raleigh Park Estate was once the centre of the Australian tobacco industry, and is named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who introduced tobacco to England. 

It was originally part of a government grant to Samuel Terry in 1823 which passed through Daniel Cooper and William Cooper to the Australian Cities Investment Corporation in 1891. In 1909 George Todman acquired some 14 hectares of the land after the Corporation went into liquidation. Todman in turn sold it to the British Australian Tobacco Company in 1912, and the land was then transferred to W.D. and H.O. Wills in 1920.

The first factory building was opened in 1913 and was designed by the architects, Halligan and Wilton.

The branch Administration Building of W.D. and H.O. Wills, was constructed in 1926 and designed in a Georgian Revival style with a classical verandah by the architects Joseland and Gilling. An additional wing was added in 1949. 

The Tobacco companies had a reputation for looking after their employee's welfare. The Wills factory became the centre of community life and the social clubs organized outings, concerts and special occasion parties. The grounds had bowling greens, a cricket ground, club houses, soccer and hockey fields, basketball and netball courts and various other facilities to serve both its employees and the needs of the surrounding schools and athletic clubs.

In 1989, the later addition to the Administration building, alongside all other buildings on the site, were demolished to make way for residential development. The Administration building was left to serve as a community centre in the new development, and in 2025 contains the Menzies Art Brand.