The man who was once Australia’s most powerful Aboriginal leader allegedly siphoned more than $100,000 meant for community housing into the construction of a lavish deck at his Victorian home, court documents reveal.

Geoff Clark, 66, former head of the disbanded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, faced Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Friday alongside his wife Trudy and sons Aaron, 37, and Jeremy, 45, who are facing a combined total of 1170 charges.

Geoff Clark outside court in Warrnambool on Friday. Credit:The Standard

Of those, 533 charges have been laid against Geoff Clark.

He denies all claims and said he was preparing for a lengthy fight.