OBITUARY
KEVIN GRAHAM KRYGGER
21 March 1933 – 6 November 2024
A fun-loving larrikin who ran a popular merry-go-round at Dandenong’s famous former trash-and-treasure market has been remembered as an “icon”.
Kevin Krygger, 91, had run his hand-painted sideshow ride – accompanied by Slim Dusty and yodelling music – every Sunday market for more than 35 years.
It wasn’t until his mid-eighties that “age got the better of him” and he stopped the attraction in 2019, his son Adrian recalled.
“I remember riding the merry go round as a child, as did my sister, and then our kids did as well as countless thousands of others in the community.”
Donning a leather pouch of coins, he played “some of the oldest country music you have ever heard”.
“Although I don’t think anybody liked the music, everyone knew that it meant the ride was operating.
“He would always spruik through an old loudspeaker, ‘Merry go round ride for children, bring the little darlings over…. leave the little buggers at home’ – jokingly of course as everyone knew.”
His humorous pranks included running between the seats during the ride and pretending the kids hit him on the “bum”.
The weekly joy was what “kept him going so long”, says Adrian. “Because he loved doing it so much.”
“The trash and treasure market was a community. He developed friendships there, everybody knew him.”
Born in Ballarat, Krygger was one of five children. His mother Alice died from tuberculosis just a few days after he was born.
“He was lucky to survive, as he could have easily contracted TB during the pregnancy, but did not.
“He did however, have a very unusual shaped kidney, and had to stay in hospital for six months. He actually ended up being written into medical journals because of his kidney.”
Krygger married twice, becoming father of four and grandfather of six.
The travelling salesperson had a passion for footy, Fords, fishing, family, German Shepherd dogs and doing things for others, Adrian says.
Carnivals were another passion. He started operating rides at the Portarlington carnival during school holidays and became close to the Ver Vurth family.
He also befriended entertainers Ernie Sigley and Tony Barber.
After many decades, the Dandenong Trash and Treasure Market closed – due to the sale of the Lunar Drive-In cinema on the same site.
Meanwhile, in recent years, Krygger developed the degenerative condition, dementia. He moved into an aged-care facility in mid-2023 and died on 6 November.
