The eldest son of one of Melbourne’s most established families, the Valmorbidas, has launched court action over the management of their late mother’s estate as a war brews over the distribution of the noted family’s assets.
asserted
war → launch → assets
Italy-based Paul Valmorbida, the eldest son of patriarch Carlo Valmorbida and former partner of actress-singer Tottie Goldsmith, applied to the Supreme Court of Victoria this month to replace his brother, John Valmorbida, and his sister, Luisa Valmorbida, as executors of the estate of their late mother, Elsie.
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Valmorbida → base → mother
If Paul’s application is successful, a new independent administrator and trustee would be put in place to review a series of transactions that occurred in the years leading up to Elsie’s death from dementia in 2025.
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that → put → 2025
The court filing does not detail any of the transactions or the assets they involved.
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they → detail → transactions
It does note, however, that Paul Valmorbida has agreed to cover the costs of the new administrator and trustee.
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Valmorbida → note → administrator
The action is the first step in what could end up in an epic court battle involving one of the city’s most prominent but private families.
uncertain
what → end → families
Elsie was married to Carlo Valmorbida, one of the founders of a family empire that was first based out of the famed King and Godfree site in Carlton.
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that → base → Carlton
The super-wealthy Valmorbidas now have interests that span art dealing, hospitality, investment and the manufacture and importation of many high-profile Italian brands, including over several decades Lavazza coffee, La Gina tomatoes, Sirena tuna and Moro and Val Verde olive oils.
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that → have → coffee
The family also has significant interests in the wine industry.
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family → have → industry
The family business earned a large severance payment when they handed back the distribution rights to Lavazza in 2015 after turning the coffee company into a household brand.
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they → earn → brand
According to her will, Elsie left the shares in the companies that hold the family’s ownership of the former King and Godfree site in Carlton and other businesses to John and Luisa.
uncertain
that → accord → John
The remainder of Elsie’s other property, including a $5 million apartment in South Yarra, was bequeathed to Paul, John and Luisa, as well as each sibling’s sets of children.
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remainder → include → children
Under this arrangement, Paul and his children, who include fine art dealers Andy Valmorbida and Paul-Charles “PC” Valmorbida, will receive a third of Elsie’s remaining property.
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who → include → property
Andy and PC spent a couple of decades at the heart of New York’s art and party scenes.
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Andy → spend → scenes
PC’s former partners include Theodora Richards, daughter of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and actress Mary-Kate Olsen, while Andy once rubbed shoulders with then “it girls” Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
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Andy → include → girls
Under their mother’s will, former Carlton Football Club director John Valmorbida and his children received a third of Elsie’s real assets, while Luisa Valmorbida and her children received the remaining third.
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Valmorbida → receive → third
Company searches show Paul Valmorbida has held limited roles in the broader family business for nearly two decades, while John Valmorbida and his sister Luisa Valmorbida have both continued to be involved in the family’s business.
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Valmorbida → show → business
Paul Valmorbida, who now lives in Vicenza, the Italian city from which his family migrated to Australia, said in court documents that his siblings had consented to appointing an independent administrator to Elsie’s estate.
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siblings → live → estate
The real size of the estate is currently unclear, but it remains a far cry from the lavish lifestyles of the family which is often viewed as one of Melbourne’s richest clans.
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which → remain → clans
Along with the South Yarra apartment, Elsie’s estate included a $1.35 million bond for her aged care accommodation in Malvern East and return of fees paid in advance.
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estate → include → advance
Elsie’s estate also included nearly $94,000 in cash and 92 shares in BlueScope Steel valued at around $2300.
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estate → include → 2300
Her personal belongings were valued at $60,000, according to court documents.
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belongings → value → documents
The estate also included about $5 million in debt, much of which comprised personal loans from family members.
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much → include → members
According to those documents, Elsie borrowed $1.69 million from her own personal trust.
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Elsie → accord → trust
She was also provided with a nearly $1 million loan from each of her children John and Luisa in 2018.
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She → provide → 2018
John Valmorbida and Luisa Valmorbida also stumped up $1.35 million – or $675,000 each – to pay for their mother’s aged care bond.
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Valmorbida → stump → bond
According to her death certificate, Elsie Valmorbida died at the grand age of 97 after suffering dementia in her final years.
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Valmorbida → accord → years
A source familiar with the probate but not authorised to comment publicly said there were no concerns about Elsie’s competency to sign her will.
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source → authorise → will
Her probate file includes an assessment by Elsie’s general practitioner stating she had the capacity at the time her will was drafted and signed.
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will → include → time
The King & Godfree business, which has been owned by the family since the 1950s, has been under the stewardship of John Valmorbida’s son, Jamie Valmorbida and Luisa Valmorbida’s son Luca Sbardella, for several years.
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which → own → years
In the past 12 months, it has reopened as an Italian restaurant and wine room under the name Delmonte and overseen by Jamie Valmorbida.
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it → reopen → Valmorbida
John Valmorbida’s daughter, Lisa Valmorbida, has also carried on in the family’s footsteps, setting up the Pidapipo gelateria chain, which now has four outlets in Melbourne’s inner city.
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which → carry → city
Paul Valmorbida’s lawyer declined to comment.
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lawyer → decline → ?
A lawyer for John and Luisa Valmorbida also declined to comment.
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lawyer → decline → Valmorbida
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