Glamorous daughter of dead nightclub owner reveals heartbreak

The glamorous daughter of a Melbourne nightclub owner who was found dead on his front porch has revealed her heartbreak at dealing with the financial ‘mess’ he left behind.

Zoe Thornburgh, 24, is still coming to terms with the death of her father Darren ‘Razzle’ Thornburgh who founded and ran celebrity hotspot Boutique in the trendy inner-suburb of Prahran.

The hard-partying nightclub king, who suffered a chronic drug addiction, was found dead on a mattress in his pyjamas outside his rural Victoria home in November 2017. 

Police found a gun at the scene and ruled that the death was not suspicious.

Zoe Thornburgh (pictured), 24, is still coming to terms with the death of her father Darren ‘Razzle’ Thornburgh

Miss Thornburgh has applied to the Supreme Court to stake her claim and get access to the inheritance - but the process has left her tired and emotionally drained.

Miss Thornburgh has applied to the Supreme Court to stake her claim and get access to the inheritance – but the process has left her tired and emotionally drained.

Miss Thornburgh (left) and father Darren 'Razzle' Thornburgh (right) at nightclub Boutique

Miss Thornburgh (left) and father Darren ‘Razzle’ Thornburgh (right) at nightclub Boutique

Because her father left no will, Miss Thornburgh said her and her 15-year-old sister were not able to inherit his assets worth $1.7 million.

She has applied to the Supreme Court to stake her claim and gain access to the inheritance – but the process has left her tired and emotionally drained. 

‘My dad left no will and with me being the oldest child, my parents divorced, (that) meant it was up to me to detangle all of the mess that he left, and try and salvage together a financial future for me and my sister,’ she told the Sunday Herald Sun.

Ms Thornburgh, a manager in a cocktail bar, said the Boutique nightclub was not included among her father’s assets because he was evicted three weeks before his death after months of conflict with the landlord.

The premises was bought three months ago and renamed The Greville – but now the owners are selling up and Miss Thornburgh won’t receive a penny. 

Revealing her devastation, she said: ‘My father put his heart and soul into that business. Boutique was quite literally his third child, and now to be told that legally my sister and I will receive no financial benefit from any of it… is a very bitter pill to swallow.’ 

Ms Thornburgh (pictured), a manager in a cocktail bar, said the Boutique nightclub is not included among her father's assets because he was evicted three weeks before his death after months of conflict with the landlord

Ms Thornburgh (pictured), a manager in a cocktail bar, said the Boutique nightclub is not included among her father’s assets because he was evicted three weeks before his death after months of conflict with the landlord

Court documents show Mr Thornburgh's real estate is worth $1.7 million, which counts homes in Port Melbourne, South Yarra and Barmah. Pictured: The club owner and his daughter

Court documents show Mr Thornburgh’s real estate is worth $1.7 million, which counts homes in Port Melbourne, South Yarra and Barmah. Pictured: The club owner and his daughter

In November it was reported that Ms Thornburgh (pictured) was locked in a legal battle over her father's multi-million dollar estate

In November it was reported that Ms Thornburgh (pictured) was locked in a legal battle over her father’s multi-million dollar estate

She said she was financially struggling but her grievance wasn’t just about money. 

‘It’s a very hard fact to face that my sister and I are entitled to nothing of our father’s lifetime of work and legacy,’ she said. 

In November it was reported that Ms Thornburgh was locked in a legal battle over her father’s multi-million dollar estate.

The Sunday Herald Sun obtained legal documents showing she was staking a claim to her deceased father’s assets.

‘I receive no assistance from my mother. My financial position is very limited,’ she said in the court documents. 

The Sunday Herald Sun obtained legal documents of Zoe Thornburgh (pictured), which prove the 24-year-old is staking a claim in her deceased fathers Darren 'Razzle' Thornburgh's assets

The Sunday Herald Sun obtained legal documents of Zoe Thornburgh (pictured), which prove the 24-year-old is staking a claim in her deceased fathers Darren ‘Razzle’ Thornburgh’s assets

Nicky and Paris Hilton flank Darren Thornburgh during at a night at Boutique

Nicky and Paris Hilton flank Darren Thornburgh during at a night at Boutique

Court documents show Mr Thornburgh’s real estate is worth $1.7 million, which counts homes in Port Melbourne, South Yarra and Barmah. 

In cash and assets he had $148,000 including his silver bullion worth $21,036, $7,000 Seadoo, $55,000 Motor home, $5,000 vintage car and $50,000 2013 Malibu boat.

His daughter took to the Supreme Court after she discovered no will was left behind. 

Her affidavit revealed she was trying to access the funds and assets as she claimed her mother Denise Foster wasn’t supporting her. 

The functions manager revealed the pair shared a strained relationship and besides living in her father’s-owned South Yarra studio apartment, Ms Thornburgh had no access to other assets.  

It was also revealed Mr Thornburgh left behind more than $125,000 in debts: almost $76,000 in unpaid child support, close to $10,500 in unpaid council bills and south of $1,500 in water bills.

Zoe Thornburgh and her mother Denise Foster shared a strained relationship and besides living in her father's-owned South Yarra studio apartment, Ms Thornburgh has no access to other assets

Zoe Thornburgh and her mother Denise Foster shared a strained relationship and besides living in her father's-owned South Yarra studio apartment, Ms Thornburgh has no access to other assets

Zoe Thornburgh and her mother Denise Foster shared a strained relationship and besides living in her father’s-owned South Yarra studio apartment, Ms Thornburgh has no access to other assets

A month before his death, Mr Thornburgh had lost his club, which attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Kim Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher, and the Hilton sisters.

His party lifestyle had taken a turn for the worse, as he went on three to five day long drug binges. 

Three shots had been fired into his nightclub in October last year, and his ex-wife’s house was the target of a drive-by three days later. 

A police first investigated links between Mr Thornburgh’s death and the past shootings, but later ruled out any foul play. 

It was a tragic end to the life of a man who had made a name for himself.

The Dandenong-born man moved to Melbourne where he worked in nightclubs as a bus boy.

He rose up the ranks to management positions at clubs including Warehouse in South Yarra and Heat at Crown Casino, according to the Herald Sun.

Zoe Thornburgh's affidavit revealed she is trying to access the funds and assets as she claimed her mother Denise Foster was not supporting her

Zoe Thornburgh's affidavit revealed she is trying to access the funds and assets as she claimed her mother Denise Foster was not supporting her

Zoe Thornburgh’s affidavit revealed she is trying to access the funds and assets as she claimed her mother Denise Foster was not supporting her

Darren Thornburgh ran Boutique nightclub (pictured), a popular venue that attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood along the lines of Kim Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher, and the Hilton sisters

Darren Thornburgh ran Boutique nightclub (pictured), a popular venue that attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood along the lines of Kim Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher, and the Hilton sisters

Darren Thornburgh (left) and Molly Meldrum at the club which was  popular with celebrities

Darren Thornburgh (left) and Molly Meldrum at the club which was  popular with celebrities

He got his nickname ‘Razzle’ from the diamond he had implanted in his front tooth.

‘Razzle gave his club rock star status,’ a former co-worker told the Herald Sun.

‘He was respected in the industry and he knew what he was doing. He was definitely king of the nightclubs… until other things took over.’

But when his marriage ended in 2008, his drug use spiralled – and ‘took control of him,’ a former worker at Boutique said.

Divorce and drug use weren’t the only problems that affected the nightclub owner’s life negatively – he was also facing serious money problems.

In 2011, Darren Thornburgh (pictured) was made bankrupt after failing to pay a legal bill, the Herald Sun reports

In 2011, Darren Thornburgh (pictured) was made bankrupt after failing to pay a legal bill, the Herald Sun reports

In 2011, he was made bankrupt after failing to pay a legal bill, the Herald Sun reported.

An associate told the newspaper that he’d once paid a debt by handing over his Bentley.

And threats from debt collectors led to him moving into a suite at the Crown Casino due to the round-the-clock security for four years.

Friends say he left the Crown in 2016 and was spending his time between South Yarra and Barmah.

And a business associate told the Herald Sun that he had planned to return to the club scene in 2017– but his landlords had evicted him from Boutique.

‘He lost the club, which means he lost everything,’ they said.

Police discovered Darren Thornburgh's body on the front porch of his rural property at Barmah (pictured), near the NSW and Victorian border on November 13, 2017

Police discovered Darren Thornburgh’s body on the front porch of his rural property at Barmah (pictured), near the NSW and Victorian border on November 13, 2017

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