Shocking debts, worse excuses and an iconic Melbourne rooftop bar run into the ground: Inside the spectacular fall of Campari House boss once worth $132m
A Melbourne hospitality figure once reportedly worth $132million has been ordered by the Victorian Supreme Court to repay creditors $2.1million after his rooftop bar, Campari House, collapsed while trading insolvent for more than four years. Ricky Munday, now based on the Gold Coast, bought the Hardware Lane venue in 2015 and formally resigned as director shortly afterwards, but the court found he continued to run the business as a "de facto director" until it was liquidated in October 2023, controlling its finances throughout.
The court heard the company stopped paying tax from March 2017, with debts reaching $2,031,795.74 by liquidation, and stopped paying staff superannuation from January 2018, leaving $671,106 owing. It also fell behind on rent, prompting its landlord to launch wind-up proceedings in 2023 over $418,640 in arrears, while Munday was separately ordered to repay over $800,000 in undocumented personal loans drawn from company accounts, plus a further $780,000 owed by another of his companies. Munday declined to give evidence under oath, and Associate Justice Gobbo found he was aware of grounds to suspect the company's insolvency, rejecting his defence that blamed the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Ex-hospitality boss Ricky Munday ordered to repay $2.1million to creditors
- Melbourne's Campari House traded insolvent for over four years, court found
- Munday also owes over $800,000 in undisclosed personal company loans
New here? Start with this
Campari House is a hospitality venue in central Melbourne, known for its rooftop bar and dining spaces. Its operator, Ricky Munday, is a businessman whose companies have been involved in running the venue.
The story concerns the financial collapse of that business, including reported debts and questions over whether taxes, suppliers or other creditors were paid. Such cases matter because a company’s failure can affect employees, landlords, customers and businesses owed money, and may lead to scrutiny under Australia’s insolvency and corporate laws.