The Furlan Club in Thornbury collapses into administration

A beloved Italian club in the city’s northeast, which made headlines after it was firebombed days before hosting a boxing match featuring the late underworld figure ‘The Punisher’, has gone bust.

The Furlan Club, which made headlines after being firebombed days before hosting a boxing match featuring ‘The Punisher’, has gone bust

A beloved Italian club in Melbourne’s northeast, which previously made headlines after being firebombed just days before it was set to host a boxing match featuring the late Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim, has gone bust.

Thornbury’s Furlan Club, which has operated as a hub for cultural celebrations, social gatherings, weddings, and other community events for over 60 years, collapsed into administration last week.

The club has been a longstanding cultural and community institution, serving the Italian Australian community, particularly those with ties to the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy.

The Australian Tax Office previously launched legal action against the club in November over unpaid debt.

The winding up application – a legal tool usually used by creditors of a company to enforce the payment of a debt – is before the Federal Court in Victoria, a notice lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission reveals.

The Furlan Club was firebombed days before it was set to host a boxing match featuring ‘The Punisher’. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Abdulrahim was a former Mongols bikie and professional boxer. Picture: David Geraghty

Arsonists targeted the Matisi St venue in February last year, in the lead-up to the underworld figure’s match in the World Boxing Council Interim Australasia Championship.

Abdulrahim, a former Mongols bikie and professional boxer, was shot dead in the underground car park of the Quest serviced apartments building in Preston in January.

The club has not been able to re-open since given the extensive damage caused by the fire.

“We have been busy planning our relaunch to reopen our doors as soon as possible for our community,” their website says.

“The venue will be reopened in stages which will mean we can reopen as soon as possible.”

Insolvency experts from Cor Cordis Matthew Sweeny and Rachel Burdett have been appointed administrators.

Men playing Bocce at the Furlan Club. Picture: Supplied

The club has not been able to re-open since the fire. Picture: Furlan Club

A Cor Cordis spokesperson said the administrators were undertaking an “urgent review” of the club’s financial position.

They said the club’s director, listed as Peter Muzzolini on company documents, intended to propose a deal to creditors to settle debts, known as a deed of company arrangement (DOCA).

“The administrators are assessing the viability of the proposed DOCA and the available options to maximise the outcome for creditors,” the spokesperson said.

“Further updates will be provided to stakeholders as the administration progresses.”

The first creditor meeting is expected to be held on Wednesday next week.

It comes as the local institution has been calling on the Darebin Council to heritage list the site, to protect the club from developers.

“Developers want to demolish the club and erase decades of cultural heritage to make way for private projects. But we, the community, say no,” their petition online reads.

“We are calling on Darebin Council to vote yes for heritage protection and support the immediate listing of the Furlan Club as a Heritage Overlay Site.

“Built by post-war migrants with their own hands, it is more than a venue – it’s a living legacy. Now, this cherished piece of history is under threat.”